Heart to Heart
by PoeticLover1996
Summary: Love cannot be bought; it cannot be faked. It is a sometimes difficult battle that has to be won. Love is never truly easy, but then again, no one ever said it was. Love is something confusing to the mind, but somehow, it's something the heart can always find.
1. Chapter 1

"Heart to Heart"

Written by PoeticLover1996

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters.

A/N: Just a friendly heads up, Sally Acorn is in this story, but she isn't all bitchy and mean. I don't see why people have the tendency to bash the poor girl, but I'm not into character bashing. You don't have to dog another character to bring another one up, and I'm not going to make her sound horrible. Also, in this story, she and Shadow like each other. So, if you don't like Sally Acorn or Sally Acorn being with Shadow, don't read my story. It's as easy as that. Now, on to the story!

_Amy: 17_

_Sally: 18_

_Rouge: 22_

_Cream: 14_

_Blaze: 17_

* * *

Chapter 1

Amy Rose the Hedgehog was fast asleep, dreaming sweet dreams. So blissfully asleep was she, sleeping the morning away. Her alarm clock beeped loudly, instantly waking her up. She slammed the snooze button forcefully, all but breaking the poor little alarm clock.

_So much for sleeping the day away,_ she thought, groggily getting up. Grabbing a towel and a washcloth, she walked to her bathroom to take a much-needed shower…

Sally Acorn laid in her comfortable bed, fast asleep and oblivious to the world around her. She slept soundly and would've remained in such a state of peace had it not been for her cell phone vibrating, signaling that she had a message.

"Damn, who could be texting me this early in the morning?" Sally groaned, running a hand through her messy auburn hair as she picked up her phone. Checking her messages, she saw that her best friend Amy Rose had texted her. The message read: _Morning sleepy-head. If you're still going to the mall with us, I suggest you get ready now, or else Rouge will leave you._

Sally sighed, pushing herself out of her bed as she rubbed the sleep out of her blue eyes. She knew better than to make Rouge wait, least she want to incur her wrath upon herself. She shuddered; Rouge was the quite a scary person when she was angry. So, not wanting to get her head chewed off, she began getting ready.

Walking into her bathroom, where a clean towel and washcloth were already inside, she ridded herself of her pajamas and stepped inside the shower. She turned on the water, and, grabbing her washcloth and a bar of lavender-scented soap, she proceeded to shower…

Amy brushed her long, pink quills. She decided to let them grow, due to her friends' encouragement, and she was glad she did. They now stopped at the middle of her back. She decided to wear it up, and, reaching for a red ponytail holder, she pulled her hair up in a high ponytail. She curled her bangs, which were slightly longer as well.

She gave herself the traditional once-over to make sure she looked alright. She never was a big fan of make-up and wore little to none. Today, she wore black eyeliner and had on smokey eye shadow that brought out the color of her jade eyes. She also wore pink lip-gloss, making her lips smooth and shiny.

Her ears were pierced, though she only had a piercing in each ear. She wore diamond studded hoops, a Christmas gift to her from Sally. She had on a plain white tank top and wore light-blue skinny jeans that hugged her just right. On her feet were a pair of black and white Converses. She had on her usual gold bracelets and wore her white gloves as always. Satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her house key and purse and headed out, making sure her door was locked.

Whipping out her Samsung Galaxy 4 phone, she texted Rouge, telling her to pick her and Sally up from her house. Rouge responded a minute later with an _Ok, hun!_ Amy smiled and tucked her phone back inside her pocket. She then walked to Sally's house, hoping to God she was ready…

Sally looked at herself in her full-length mirror, admiring how nice she looked, which she did. She wore a black V-neck shirt, white jeans that had tears in them, and black knee-high boots. Her silky, auburn hair fell past her shoulders in curls. She had her ears pierced, one piercing in each ear, and wore diamond studs. They were a Christmas present from Amy.

She wore black fingerless gloves and had a silver ring on the middle finger of her right hand. The only make-up she wore was black eyeliner that made her sapphire-blue eyes stand out and clear lip-gloss. Satisfied with her appearance, she left her room and headed downstairs where Amy Rose was waiting for her.

"It's about time you came down. I thought you had died or something," Amy teased. Sally tried to frown at her, but she couldn't. Amy was just too nice to be truly upset with.

"Well, is it my fault I like to look nice?" Sally asked, embracing her friend in a hug, which Amy whole-heartedly returned.

"No, it's not, though I don't see why you bother. You're beautiful without even trying," said Amy. Sally blushed, shaking her head.

"If anyone's beautiful, it's you. I swear, when Sonic sees you, he's going to eat his heart out," said Sally, smiling at the blush that appeared on Amy's face from mentioning her long-time crush, Sonic the Hedgehog.

"I bet when Shadow sees you, he's going to get down on one knee and marry you on the spot!" she countered. She and Sally looked at each other and busted out laughing.

"Let's just agree that both of our crushes will simply fall out over our beautifulness and leave it at that."

"Agreed." They heard the sound of a car honking its horn, meaning that Rouge was now here and waiting for them. "Well, looks like Rouge is here. We better get going or our asses will get left behind," said Amy.

"I wouldn't put it past Rouge to do something like that, so I agree 100% with you," said Sally. She grabbed her house key and purse and led the way out. After Amy left, she made sure her door was safely locked.

They walked to Rouge's car and sat in the back with Cream. Rouge stared at them through her rear-view mirror.

"You girls look nice. I wonder why you two are so dressed up," Rouge said, her voice light and teasing.

"Could it be for Sonic and Shadow?" Blazed asked, her golden eyes twinkling. Amy and Sally blushed, saying nothing. Anything they said could and would be used against them.

"Whatever. Can we just go already?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, let's go. The mall awaits us," Sally agreed.

"Eager to see Big Blue and the Ultimate Life-Form, aren't you two?" asked Rouge, smirking when the blushes on their faces deepened.

_Ah, nothing like young love,_ she thought to herself. Starting her 2013 Ford Truck, she drove to the mall where the rest of the gang was waiting for them.

* * *

So, how was it? Like I said, I'm not into bashing characters, and I don't have any problem with Sally. It irritates me to no end to see so many Sonamy stories that make Sally seem like an awful person and bitchy. I also don't care for Sonamy stories that have Shadow interested in Amy in a romantic way. Shadow and Amy are like brothers and sisters. Also, why Shadow want anything Sonic has? Also, again, I don't have Sonic and Shadow hating each other or whatever. It's pointless and stupid to me. So, this will be one of the few Sonamy stories that don't dog Sally or have Shadow going after other dudes' girls. Anyways, thanks for reading and please tell me what you think. Remember: reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed; flames are not. Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters. I also don't own Sally Acorn. Each belong to their respected owners.

A/N: First off, I want to thank anyone who read, reviewed, followed, or added this story to their favorites. I truly appreciate it. Secondly, sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I'm taking an online college class, and I had exams to study for. Let me tell you something, being a senior taking a college class ain't easy, but I'm a smart girl, and I'm making it work. Anyways, sorry for the long note. Now, onto the story!

_Knuckles: 21_

_Sonic: 19_

_Tails: 15_

_Shadow: 19_

_Silver: 18_

* * *

Chapter 2

"Man, where the hell are they? It shouldn't take them that long," Knuckles grumbled. He, Sonic, Tails, Shadow, and Silver were sitting in the food court section of the mall, waiting for the girls to arrive.

"Easy, Knuckles. Amy texted me that they were on their way; you'll be reunited with Rouge soon enough," said Sonic. He, Tails, Shadow, and Silver laughed at the look on poor Knuckles face. Sonic effortlessly dodged the punch that came his way, still laughing.

"Oh, calm down Knuckles. We already know you like Rouge. No one's making fun of you," Tails said, trying to soothe Knuckles, who tended to get riled up and angry fairly quickly. Knuckles sighed and relented, knowing that Tails was right, and they weren't picking on him.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just not comfortable talking about it, y'know? I'm not used to liking someone the way I like Rouge. It's all strange and different for me," he admitted, resting his chin in his hand.

"Dude, I think we can all relate to how you're feeling. We've been living that single life for so long. Then, all of sudden, we meet the girls and find ourselves liking them more and more with each passing day. I'm not going to lie; it's scary, but in a way, it's also nice," said Silver, his thoughts straying on a pretty, lavender cat.

"It is nice, and I don't mind trying something new. It's just weird, liking someone, having that someone on your mind more times than you can possibly count. I mean, I never really expected to be into Amy, but she's all I can think about some days," said Sonic, smiling as thoughts of Amy flooded his mind.

"I thought I would never heal from Cosmo's death, but Cream proved me wrong. Not only did she heal my wounds, she taught me that life goes on, and I have to enjoy every moment of it while I still can. I can't thank her enough for showing me that," said Tails. They knew what he meant. No one thought he'd ever get over Cosmo's death; she was, after all, his first love. However, Cream came and worked her magic and helped Tails discover the joys of life once more.

"I understand what you mean. The wounds inflicted by the loss of someone you love or care deeply for are hard to overcome, but time heals all," said Shadow. He was referring to his loss of Maria, the first real friend he had. He was always distant towards them and everyone around him, but he learned to be more open around them. Why the sudden change? Shadow would never verbally say it, but Sonic knew that a chipmunk with auburn hair was behind the slightly more open Shadow they now saw.

"We're growing up, I guess. We're not afraid of the possibility of falling in love or getting attached. I guess I was so afraid of getting close to Amy was because I was afraid of losing her. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to protect her. Sometimes I still am. However, when I realized that she was here to stay, that no matter where I went, she'd follow, I slowly started accepting my feelings for her."

"Yeah, I mean, Rouge really isn't that bad. Sure, she gets on my nerves sometimes and we argue, but I honestly can't picture life without her. She's playful, smart, and not afraid of going after what she wants. I was apprehensive of her because I thought she only hung near me to get to the Master Emerald, but she hasn't bothered it or the Chaos Emeralds. She usually comes to Angel Island and just talks to me about everything. The more she came, the more I grew to enjoy her company," said Knuckles.

"It was like that with me when it came to Blaze. She was so hard to know, always distancing herself from everyone. It was really hard to get a feel on her. I remember a conversation we had once, and she told me how people used to tease her because of her powers."

"No one understood her, maybe because no one wanted to, but I wanted to know her. I had to prove myself, though. It took me a while to earn her trust, but I'm telling you, when I finally did, it was one of the best feelings in the world. Now she tells me everything, and I tell her things too," said Silver, gold eyes burning with happiness.

"I always felt that because I was the Ultimate Life Form that I wasn't allowed to feel. You guys changed that. Now I know what it feels like to be happy; now I understand and appreciate the value of friendship," said Shadow, taking a sip of his Pepsi.

"It's strange to think of them like this, isn't it? In the past, we cared about them, just not in this way. Now it's like we can't picture ourselves without them. It's weird for me because I'm just fifteen, but I don't want to be without Cream. She's so sweet and positive and selfless and understanding."

"At first, I thought I was betraying Cosmo by liking Cream the same way I liked her, but I know in my heart that Cosmo loved me and would've wanted me to be happy, even if it wasn't with her. I'm glad I moved on; otherwise, I would've never had the chance to be with Cream," said Tails, eating some of his grilled chicken salad. Sonic patted him on the shoulder, taking a bite out of his chili dog.

"Wise words from someone so young, but, then again, you're a freaking genius, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised at how much you know. I just wish I was that smart when I was fifteen. It would've saved Amy a lot of heartache," he said, his voice belying the sadness and guilt he felt for unintentionally hurting Amy so much.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. The important thing is is that when you figured out your feelings and saw your actions, you did something about it. You know Amy forgave you and understood why you behaved the way you did," Shadow said. Sonic gave him a grateful smile. Their friendship resembled Amy and Sally's; they didn't get along too well at first, but once they got to know each other better, their friendship progressed. Besides Tails, he saw Shadow as a brother. Hell, he viewed all of his friends as family, and he'd do anything for them.

"Hey, guys, I just got a text from Blaze. I told her we were at the food court, and she said they'll be here in five minutes," Silver said. Knuckles sighed in relief.

"What the hell took them so long anyways?" he asked.

"Blaze said something about Rouge wanting to go shopping so that she can look her best for her "Knuckie"." Everyone busted out laughing while Knuckles blushed, though there was a smile on his face.

"Yeah, whatever," was all he said, trying to sound indifferent, but the blush on his face said otherwise.

* * *

I hoped it was good. I wanted this chapter to focus on the guys and how they felt about each girl they liked. I also wanted to show how mature they've gotten as well. Sorry if Shadow seemed a tad bit out of character, but I personally don't view him as being cold. He's just reserved and distant. Anyways, reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed; flames are not. Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. They all belong to their respective owners.

* * *

Chapter 3

The girls were sitting on a bench in front of a big, pretty fountain located in the very center of the mall. On each of their arms were numerous bags filled with things from clothes and shoes to jewelry and nail polish.

"I think we have everything now," said Rouge, reapplying her favorite pink lip-gloss to her lips.

"I should hope so. This is a lot of stuff to be toting around!" Blaze groaned, her long, lavender tail flicking to and fro.

"Oh, please Blaze. This isn't a lot of stuff," Rouge insisted.

"Trust me, it's not. You should see how much Rouge can buy on a good day," Amy agreed, inwardly sweat-dropping. "Besides, I didn't mind shopping. It's fun hanging with my friends and having girl talks, y'know?"

"Speaking of girl talks, what do you girls wanna talk about?" Rouge asked.

"Well, we could always talk about the guys," Cream suggested. Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright, so who wants to go first? Me? Ok!" Rouge exclaimed, not giving the others a chance to speak. "Knuckles is hard to read, y'know? Sometimes he can be so serious," she said, her vibrant blue eyes dropping. Blaze gave her a soft pat on her shoulder, and Amy gave her a friendly smile.

"He can't help it. He's lived in isolation and spent a majority of his life protecting the Master and Chaos Emeralds. He can't help but be serious. Besides, anyone can see that you brighten up his day," said Amy, her voice sincere.

"I do?"

"Yeah, you do. He's always happy to have you around him, even though he tries to hide it. He probably does that because he's never liked someone in the way he likes you. If you just show him that you like him just as much, I'm sure everything will work itself out for the best," said Cream, her brown eyes sparkling. Rouge smiled, her confidence returning once more.

"Wow, Cream. From the way you just spoke, I could've sworn you were as old as us. I guess hanging around Tails does have its perks, like increased maturity," Rouge teased, laughing as Cream blushed.

"Yeah, sometimes I wish Sonic was that mature when he was fifteen. It would've saved me a lot of tears and heartache, but I can't fault him for not understanding his feelings though. I didn't want to force myself on him or anything, despite the way I acted," said Amy, twirling one of her pink quills.

"You know, Silver reminds me of you sometimes, Amy," said Blaze. Amy looked at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, you both understand your feelings fairly easily and act on them. You two also wear your hearts on your sleeves and say and show what you feel. I admire that. I wish I could be like Silver sometimes, unafraid of what I feel and just try to relax and enjoy myself. I don't mean to be so serious, but it's just the way I am. I feel like I don't belong sometimes," said Blaze.

"You're a princess, are you not Blaze?" Sally questioned, looking at Blaze. She nodded her head. "It sucks, doesn't it? Being surrounded by people who don't know shit about you, yet they presume they can tell you who you are and how you act. Believe, I understand the feeling of not belonging," said Sally.

"Ah, you're a princess as well," said Blaze, nodding her head in understanding. "Is that why you don't claim your title as well?"

"Yeah, it was too much work and drama, and I hate people coming up to me and wanting to be friends with me when the reason they want to hang with me is either because of my status or my money. So, no I don't claim being a princess nor do I want anything from that life," she said, flipping her auburn hair over her shoulders.

Blaze, after hearing that, understood why Amy was such good friends with Sally. She was a really kind, down-to-Earth girl who's had her fair share of trouble and hardships. That's why they let her hang with them; she was a cool, friendly person.

"You're really not so bad, Sally. I can see why Shadow is so enamored by you," Rouge teased. Sally full on blushed and looked away.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Rouge. Shadow and I are _just_ friends," Sally insisted.

"Who are you trying to convince, us or yourself because that blush on your face is telling a different story," Rouge said, smirking.

"Oh, yeah? What about you and Knuckles?" Sally asked, her comment wiping the smirk clean off of Rouge's face as she blushed.

"Ok, ok, point taken. We're all smitten with the guys. A good question would be why? Why do we like them so much?"

"Well, I like Tails because he is a smart, sweet, and dependable person. He's always been there for me, and I know he'd never hurt me. I guess we really grew close when Cosmo passed away. It took me awhile to put his heart back together, but when I showed him that I wasn't leaving and that I'd always be with him, he healed," said Cream, smiling as she thought of Tails.

"I like Silver because he wears his heart on his sleeve and lets me know exactly what he's feeling. He doesn't judge me or anything. He's patient with me and likes me for me. He's also very accepting of me. That's all I could really ask for in a guy," said Blaze.

"I like Sonic because he always does what's right and would help anyone in need. He is courageous, daring, and faster than the speed of sound. I trust him because I know he'd never hurt me, and I know he'll always be by my side to protect me. I know he's not perfect, but neither am I. I don't want perfection. I love him exactly the way he is, flaws and all," Amy declared, her jade eyes ablaze with the love she felt for Sonic.

"I like Shadow because he is reserved. He's mysterious in a way, and he's actually very kind, if his friendship with Maria and you guys is anything to go by. He is very bright and helpful, and I know he'd always do what's right. He is a challenge, though. Sometimes he's hard to reach, but I guess that's what I like most about him. I never seem to know what to expect when it comes to him," said Sally.

"I like Knuckles because he's, well, Knuckles. I admire how devoted he is to protecting the Master Emerald. I like how serious he is because he keeps me balanced. He's been through a lot, being the last of his kind, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and that saying applies to him one-hundred percent. I like arguing with him because it's fun. I like being near him because he makes me feel safe and secure. Above all that, I like him because he trusts me, despite my past ways," said Rouge. She smiled to herself before standing up.

"Ah, enough of these heartfelt confessions! We better skedaddle already before the boys do a little search party or some crazy shit like that. I mean, God, we're in a mall and we're girls. They should've known we were going to shop. C'mon. I think I can hear Knuckie's grumbling," she said. Laughing, they all headed to the food court where the boys, their boys, awaited them.

* * *

Good? Bad? Let me know! Reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed; flames are not. Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and company; they all belong to their respective owners.

A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner, but I had my hands full with my college class and other stuff. Plus, I had to change my email because my other one was acting shitty. If you want to email me, email me at kiyhers15 . Or you can PM me. Either way is fine. Now, onto the story!

* * *

Chapter 4

Just when the guys, mainly Knuckles, thought they were going to have to round up a search party or something like that, the girls walked in the food court, each totting several bags on each of their arms.

"Well, at least we can see what kept them so long. Look at all that shit," Sonic said, emerald eyes widening in mild surprise.

"Screw that. Guess what poor chumps are going to be carrying all of that shit," Silver groaned, rolling his eyes. "See, if a dude went "shopping", we wouldn't even have that much stuff. We'd come out carrying a bag, or at the most, two."

"We also wouldn't take forever and a damn day to shop. We come in, already knowing what we want, we buy the shit, and then we leave. Why can't girls be that simple?" Knuckles asked, a question all guys wish they knew the answer to, but sadly, they didn't. It'd probably make their lives a hell of a lot easier if they knew.

"I wish I knew. They're just born complicated; we might as well start accepting that fact now," Shadow answered. He was about to say something else, when he saw that the girls were almost at the table they were sitting at. "Well, look like their majesties are arriving." No sooner than the words left his lips did the girls arrive at their table, looking as gorgeous as ever.

"Hiya fellas. Hey, Knucklehead, did ya miss me?" Rouge purred, throwing him a flirty wink. Knuckles blushed and looked away, muttering something that sounded like "crazy bat-girl" under his breath. Rouge smiled, well used to this kind of behavior from him and sat down, carefully placing her numerous bags on the floor. The rest of the girls followed suit, each sitting beside their guy.

"Sorry it took us so long, but they had a huge sale! Fifty percent off on everything!" Amy gushed, her voice eager and excited.

"Really?" Sonic asked, trying his hardest to sound interested, least he tempt Amy's anger and make her wallop him with her powerful Piko-Piko Hammer. He inwardly shuddered in fear from the very thought of it.

"Yeah! There were so many cute stuff, I just didn't know what to get!" Cream agreed, her adorable brown eyes filled with joy. Tails smiled, his twin tails twirling behind him. He couldn't help but feel happy; one couldn't be in the presence of Cream and not be happy. She just had that effect on people, or maybe she just had that effect on him.

"Sounds like you ladies had a swell time," said Silver, his arm wrapped snuggly around Blaze, who blushed lightly from the gesture, but didn't move his arm. To her, it felt nice having Silver's warm, slightly muscled arm around her shoulders; it made her feel safe.

"We did. So, what have you boys been up to while we were away?" Blazed asked, her long, lavender tail gentle swaying back and forth behind her.

"Nothing for real. We just talked and waited for ya'll to get back. We bought lunch, but it's probably cold now," Silver answered. Knuckles huffed, looking irritated, which wasn't that unusual.

"Had you _girls_ hurried up, you'd be eating a nice, _warm_ lunch instead of a cold one."

"Oh, please, Knucklehead. Free is free and food is food, and if you think I'm about to let a free meal go to waste, you're out of your God-given mind." And with that being said, Rouge took a bite out of her food, which was a delicious, albeit cold slice of pepperoni pizza. The other girls began eating their own food; Amy had two corndogs, Blaze had two tacos, Cream had pizza like Rouge, except hers was a cheese pizza, and Sally had a plate of hot wings.

Sally picked one up and gingerly bit into it, expecting it to taste cold. However, it was warm and tasted like it just came out of the oven.

"How does it taste?" The sound of Shadow's deep voice, not to mention his warm breath tickling her face as he spoke, nearly made Sally drop her wing. She quickly glanced around the table, noticing that everyone was lost in their own little conversations, which meant Shadow had to have been talking to her.

"It tastes wonderful, and it's still warm. It caught me off guard; I was expecting it to be cold like the other girls' food," Sally answered back, keeping her voice at a whisper so the others wouldn't overhear their conversation. Shadow chuckled, yes, you read right. Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form, chuckled, his ruby-red eyes gazing into Sally's sapphire-blue ones. He couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful she was, with her vibrant, auburn hair and her perfect smile.

"And who do you think kept it warm for you while you were away?" he asked, staring at her expectantly. Her mouth made a little "o" shape as realization dawned on to her.

"You did? I have to say, I'm kind-of surprised you did something like this, but then again, you always have a knack of surprising me. Thank you, Shadow. Um, I have a lot of wings, probably more than I can eat alone. Would you like to eat some with me? I-I mean, if you want to," she hastily added, silently cursing herself for getting so nervous. What did she have to be so nervous about? She was only talking to Shadow, but that was the thing. It was because she was talking to Shadow, who was very, very handsome, not to mention strong and intelligent, that made her nervous. That and the fact that she liked him. She didn't want to make a complete fool of herself in front of him.

Shadow blinked, taken aback by her offer. He had already eaten earlier, but he still had room for more. What really surprised him was that Sally, who was a cheerful, sweet girl, although she had her moments when she could fierce and threatening, wanted to willingly be near him. Initially, he ignored her and gave her the cold shoulder, but she kept coming back and didn't relent until he finally gave in.

_I swear, she's been hanging around Rose too long,_ he thought, as Amy was the pure embodiment of what persistency was. After all, she'd been chasing Sonic for how long before he finally caved in?

"Sure. I didn't drink all of my Pepsi, so you can have a sip of that, unless you're afraid you'll get my germs or whatever." He looked so serious, but he kept his tone light and friendly, shocking in itself for someone who used to be so cold and distant not too long ago. Sally rolled her eyes, taking the dark blue can out of Shadow's hand. Their fingers brushed, and each felt a shock from the touch.

"I'll take my chances." She gave him a cheeky smile before taking a deep swig of the sugary, refreshing drink, mentally sighing as it quenched her parched throat. Shadow simply rolled his eyes at her, reaching for a hot wing.

_Maybe opening myself up a little more wasn't as awful as I first assumed it be, _he thought, eyes resting on Sally again. Sally looked at him, feeling herself blush, but she managed to hold it back. As she looked at Shadow, she could've sworn she saw a smile on his face. It was faint and small, but it was a smile nonetheless. Could he be smiling because of her? She told herself that she was being ridiculous and that her eyes were playing tricks on her, but that didn't stop her heartbeat from speeding up, thumping hard against her chest.

* * *

And that's it for Chapter 4! Again, I apologize for the delay; I had my hands full. Anyways, did you like how Sally and Shadow interacted with each other? I did as best as I could with it, so bear with me. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed; flames are not. Until next time !


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Still don't own 'em.

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update! I had to study for my final exam in that college class I was in. Guess what? My final grade is a 93! Yay me! Anyways, thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, or added my story to their favorites. It really means a lot to me, and I just want to let you all know that I really appreciate it. Now, onto the story!

Laughter resounded throughout the mall as the friends enjoyed their time together, joking and having fun like old times.

"Man, what time is it? It feels like we've been in here forever," said Tails. He noticed, from looking at the large window built in the upper ceiling of the mall that the sky was slowly darkening, signaling that it was almost evening time.

"C'mon, Tails. It can't possibly be that late," Knuckles argued.

"I don't know. We _have_ been here, like, all day. Sally! Would you be the sweetheart that I know you are and check the time since ol' Knucklehead don't agree with fox boy that it's gotten late?" Silver asked, narrowly avoiding Knuckles fist from coming into contact with his face. Sally laughed at the scene before bulling out her Android to check the time. Her face nearly paled when she realized how late it was.

"Shit! Tails and Silver are right! It's seven o' clock, and considering we came in here at ten something in the morning, that's pretty damn late," said Sally, her eyes beginning to get filled with mild worry.

"Whoa! I had no idea we'd been gone _that_ long!" Sonic exclaimed. Now it made since why the store was slowly beginning to look vacant; everyone was headed back home.

"Yeah! I guess time does fly when you're having fun," said Amy, slightly worried. They really should be heading home. It wasn't safe to be out when it was getting late. Who knew what crazy lunatics were on the prowl? Sonic and Shadow, sensing their girls' discomfort, put their arms around them and gave them a sweet hug.

"There's no need to worry. As long as we stick together, we should be fine. _Strength in numbers_," said Shadow, giving Sally another one of his rare, genuine smiles. She smiled back, no longer worried. She knew he was right, and she trusted him.

"Shadow's right. Besides, we're heroes. Anyone dumb enough to fuck with some badass people like us will get there asses handed to them on a silver platter and then some. You know I'd never let anything happen to you, Ames. You mean too much to me," said Sonic, whispering the last part so that only she could hear it. Amy smiled, a blush dusting her cheeks as she snuggled against Sonic. His words soothed her frazzled nerves and made her feel safe. She knew without a doubt that Sonic would do everything in his power to protect her and their friends.

"Well, we better go home while the going's good. You girls can sleep over my house for the night. I'll stop by each of your houses so you can each get your things, and don't worry Cream. I'll make sure your mom knows where you are," Rouge said, reading the young rabbit's mind.

"Alright! I would love to sleep over! How about you guys?" Cream asked, eyes glancing at Blaze, Amy, and Sally. Blaze shrugged her shoulders, looking indifferent.

"It doesn't matter to me," was all she said. To anyone else, she sounded like she brushed them off and was being rude, but her friends knew her better than that; that's just how she was at times. Amy, on the other hand, was rocking on the balls of her feet in excitement, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Ooh! You can count me in! We'll have loads of fun, I'm sure!" she said, her voice excited and cheery. That was Amy for you. She was just a bubbly, happy girl.

"Sure," said Sally, not sounding too enthusiastic about it like Amy, but not completely indifferent to it like Blaze. Rouge smiled brightly, glad that her friends were on board with her suggestion; it wasn't like she would stoop so low as to force them into going. Shit wasn't that serious.

"Well, since you girls are having a girls' night out, I say we guys have a guys' night out," Sonic said. The other guys cheered, save for Shadow, though he did fist bump with each of the guys.

"Yeah! We'll watch horror movies, stay up late, and talk about guy things you girls simply wouldn't understand," said Silver, high-fiving Sonic. Blaze rolled her eyes, and Sally scoffed.

"You guys are just big kids, you know that? Well, don't let us keep you any longer. Come on, ladies. We have places to go and all that. Have fun, guys. Bye-bye Knuckie!" said Rouge, blowing Knuckles a kiss.

"Yeah, whatever, and for the last time, STOP CALLING ME KNUCKIE!" Knuckles bellowed. Rouge, unnerved by this, rolled her eyes and walked away. The other girls followed after saying their goodbyes, their shopping bags hanging off of their arms. Knuckles watched Rouge's retreating figure for a while longer before sighing.

"I swear I don't know why I put up with her. She's such a pain in my neck!" he exclaimed, his frustration building once more. He and the others had already begun walking to the parking lot where Knuckles' 2011 Honda Accord awaited them.

"And you're a pain in her ass," said Sonic. Knuckles was about to say something to him, no doubt a threat, when Sonic held up his hand. "You put up with her for the same reason she puts up with you: you really like each other and don't want to be without each other, point blank." He hated agreeing with Sonic, but he knew he was right. He did really care about Rouge and didn't want to be with another girl. It just wouldn't be the same.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I have to like it," he said. They were outside now, and the moon, full, large, and yellowish in color, stared down at them. The night was getting darker, and stars could be seen dancing in the night sky. Knuckles dug inside his pocket, fishing for his keys. Having found them, he carefully carried them in his hands and led the way to his car, the others following closely behind him.

"And you think you're the only suffering? Please. We just deal with it better than you do, that's all," said Shadow, black arms crossed in front of his chest, the usual frown on his face, though it didn't mean he was unhappy or whatever. He just didn't smile too often; he wasn't used to it. Knuckles shook his head, saying nothing. They finally made it to his car, which was the exact same shade of red his fur was. He unlocked the car, and they all got in. Knuckles, of course, sat in the driver's seat, Shadow sat in the passenger's seat, and Sonic, Tails, and Silver sat in the backseat. Sticking the key in the ignition, he easily started the car. Checking through his rearview mirror to make sure nothing was coming, he backed up and drove off.

Did you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it? I sure hope you did. Excuse the grammar mistakes. I can't catch them all. The next chapter will be about each of their sleepovers, and I'll post it ASAP. I hope you review it, and let me know what you think! I don't bite, unless you want me to. Anyways, reviews and constructive criticism are more than welcomed; flames will be used to wipe the crack of my ass. Until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Really wish I owned these wonderful guys, but alas, I don't. Well, at least the story's mine.

A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews. They are what keeps me going. I want to give special thanks to jazzybizzle for being so supportive of me. I appreciate you and the rest of my lovely reviewers. Now, onto the story!

* * *

Music, loud and wonderful, blared through the speakers of Rouge's truck as she zoomed down the road, bobbing her head in time with the song. Her blue eyes seemed to glow in the darkness of her truck, seeming to illuminate a light of their own. One hand firmly gripped the black steering wheel while the other rested lazily on her lap. She looked comfortable, leaning back slightly in her sight while her eyes remained put on the road. The last thing she wanted was to divert her attention, least she get into an accident.

Blaze sat next to her in the passenger seat, looking just as at ease as she did. Her legs were neatly crossed and rested on her seat. She silently hummed along with the song, _Trumpet Lights_ by Chris Brown, her fingers lightly thumping rhythmically against her thigh. Her golden eyes looked at the screen of her Kindle Fire, skimming across the words of the book she was reading. The book she was reading was called _Frostbite_, written by one of her favorite authors, Richelle Mead. She loved the series and was getting closer to finishing with each new day.

In the backseat of the car was where Sally, Amy, and Cream were seated. Each girl was lost in their own little world. Sapphire eyes gazed out of car window, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. She looked up at the sky and smiled softly. The stars, she noticed, were plentiful tonight, littering the vast, inky night sky. The moon, large, round, and yellowish in color, hung high in the sky like a picture, blessing the world with its beauty. She almost wished she was outside just then, losing herself in the wonders that were nature. She could almost the gentle blowing of the night breeze or the sound of crickets chirping, playing their song for all and anyone who'd listen.

Amy, who sat in-between Sally and Cream, was rocking out to her on music, her ear buds sitting securely in her ears. She closed those pretty jade eyes of hers and rested her head against the back of her seat, submerging herself completely in the ocean depths of her music. _Like The Sea_ was one of her favorite songs; it certainly was one of her favorite Alicia Keys' songs. She always did love the sound of Alicia Keys' voice. It was soft and welcoming and soothing to the ears.

Cream, that sweet, innocent rabbit, was listening to the music blasting from Rouge's stereo. _Radioactive_, by Imagine Dragons, was now playing, and Cream found herself bobbing her head to the song. Her fingers rested on the silver, heart-shaped locket Tails had given her for her birthday. It was funny how that one name made her body shiver and her cheeks hot with a blush. Just thinking about him made her weak in the knees. She didn't know what was it about Tails that made her feel this way. Could it be love? Possibly. Now she understood why Amy, the girl she idolized and often looked up to as a sister, acted all lovey-dovey and giddy whenever a certain blue hedgehog was near. Is this what love felt like? Cream hadn't a clue.

The car slowed itself to a stop, bringing each girl out of her world. Rouge turned off her car and pulled the keys out, holding them in her hand.

"Ok, ladies! We're at Cream's house. I'm going inside to ask Miss Vanilla if it's alright if Cream spends the night with us at my house. Cream, need to go inside and get whatever it is you need to bring with you for the night," said Rouge.

"Ok, Rouge. We'll be back in a jiffy!" Cream exclaimed; the other girls nodded their heads. She and Rouge opened their doors and left. Silently, they walked up the sidewalk, gravel crackling beneath their shoes. Walking up the doorsteps of Cream's front porch, they stood side-by-side. Rouge lifted her hand and knocked on the door, waiting for Miss Vanilla to open the door. When the door did open, instead of Miss Vanilla greeting them, it was no other than Vector the Crocodile. He had on his usual attire, black headphones resting around his neck. Obviously, Rouge was surprised, to say in the least. She always knew Vector was crushing on Cream's mom, but she never knew he'd get enough guts to put a ring on it.

"Evening ladies. What can I do ya for?" Vector, his voice louder than a bomb exploding as usual.

"Hi, Vector. Is my mother home?" Cream asked, the embodiment of well-manners and politeness, just as her mother raised her. A smile and blush broke out on Vector's face when she mentioned her mother, but that was usual behavior too.

"Oh, she's in the kitchen washing dishes. Come on inside. I'll let her know that you're here," he said. They both thanked him and stepped inside. Closing the door behind them, Vector strolled to the kitchen. They both took a seat on the large, white living room couch. Rouge looked around, nodding her head in approval at what she saw. She almost forgot how nice and clean Cream's house was.

"Oh, hello Cream! And hello to you too, Rouge. It's so nice seeing you again. What can I do for you?" Miss Vanilla asked. She stood in the doorway of the kitchen, both hands clasped together in front of her. Her face was alit with a warm smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Whenever Rouge or the others wondered what Cream would look like when she was older, they looked at her mom. She and Cream looked just alike.

"Hi, Miss Vanilla. It's nice seeing you again too. I'm having a sleepover at my place, and I wanted to know if it'd be ok if Cream could come. I promise you she's in good hands, and the girls and I won't let anything happen to her," said Rouge, doing the cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-live thing.

"Oh, how delightful! It's fine by me," she said. Cream squealed, hopped off of the couch and gave her mother a thank you hug. Then she ran off to her room to get her things. Rouge didn't have to wait long. Cream was soon running down the stairs, a medium-sized bag on her shoulders.

"Goodbye, Mom. Goodbye, Vector," said Cream. Rouge said her goodbyes too, and they soon left, quietly walking back to her truck. They both hopped back inside in their designated seat.

"Alright, who's house are we going to next?"

* * *

"Who's bright idea was it for us to go _camping_?" Shadow asked, scowling. Silver playfully punched him on the shoulder, ignoring the glare that was sent his way.

"Oh, come on, Shads. Camping should be a breeze for us tough guys. And, as an answer to your question, we're camping because none of us could figure out we wanted to do, and we flipped a coin. Heads for the movies, and tails for camping. It landed on tails, and that's why we're here," said Silver, shivering as the wind picked up. Knuckles sighed, kicking a rock out of his path.

"Silver's right. We're men. We can totally handle something as cheesy as camping," said Knuckles. Sonic nodded his head, his mood lightening a bit.

"Of course we can! So, how about we set up camp here? We don't want to wander off too far," said Sonic. The thought of being stranded in the woods, no one knowing where to look for them, was not a pleasant thought. Tails nodded his head and reached for the knapsack on his bed. He placed it on the ground and, stooping down, he unzipped it. Dipping inside, he pulled out five sleeping bags and a tent.

"Alright guys, I've got the sleeping bags and tent out. So, we need to set the tent and get some wood to make a fire. Knuckles, Sonic, and I will set up the tent, and Shadow and Silver will go gather some firewood," said Tails. Shadow rolled his eyes. Him? Gathering firewood? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Nonetheless, they each agreed and went their separate ways. Now it was just Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Sonic stared at the unfixed tent, scratching the back of his head.

"So… how do we do this?"

* * *

"Man, these hot wings are the fucking shit. Thank God for Domino's," Rouge declared, taking another bite out of her hot wing, staining her lips reddish-orange form the sauce. She finished off the wing, tossed the bone in a nearby trashcan, and reached for another one. The other girls giggled at the sight; it was a rare treat to see Rouge the Bat eat in such a way.

"Amen. This pizza is beyond delicious," Amy agreed, devouring her pepperoni pizza slice like it was the Last Supper. She picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth clean of crumbs and tomato sauce.

"I wonder what the guys would say if they saw us eating like, well, them," said Blaze, popping some M&M's in her mouth. She was sprawled out across Rouge's bedroom floor. Several empty packs of M&M's rested on her stomach; she clutched a half-full pack in her right hand and was steadily working on emptying it. Sally shrugged her shoulders, taking a swig out of her chocolate milkshake.

"They'd probably have a "what the fuck" look on their faces," Sally said, lying propped against the side of Rouge's bed, eyes looking up at the high ceiling. Her room certainly was classy, but she would've expected nothing less than the best from Rouge. The walls were painted white and had speckles of lime green and black on them. Her bed, queen-sized, was in the very center of the room. The covers were lime green and black, and the pillows were large, soft, and as white as the walls. A black and white checkered rug was on the floor on the left side of her bed, which Blaze, Sally, and Amy were currently sitting on. A large dresser with an equally large vanity mirror in the center of it sat on the right side of her room.

"I wonder how their night is going?" Cream asked, finishing the last bit of her hot wings. Rouge shrugged, hopping off of her bed.

"I don't know, but knowing them, they're probably passed out at a bar or something. Enough talk about them. This is a girl's night, so let's focus on us for a change. I know! How about we do each other's hair, nails, and try on some makeup? Ooh, I think my makeup kit and hair supplies are in my bathroom. Be back in a flash!" Smiling widely, she ran to her bathroom, yanking her bathroom door open so hard, she almost ripped it off its hinges. The girls sweat dropped, smiling nervously.

"This is gonna be a long night, ladies. May the force be with us."

* * *

Silver and Shadow walked through the woods, searching for some wood. They've been looking for thirty minutes, but had yet to find any wood. In their defense, it was pretty dark; they'd have trouble seeing their hand even if they held it up close to their face. Silver kept his gaze downcast, trying hard to find at least one piece of wood. He wasn't afraid of the dark or anything, but that didn't mean he liked being outside at night in the woods of all places. The wind was picking up again, and he really, really didn't want to catch a cold.

Shadow was silent, red eyes scanning the area in hopes of finding the much sought after wood. Even with their animal senses, they still couldn't see much, if anything. He sighed, rubbing his temples. Looking for the wood was like finding a needle in a haystack: pointless and highly unlikely. As they continued their walk, Shadow tripped over something and fell face-first on the ground. Well, he would have had Silver not used his telekinesis and levitated him back up so that he was once again standing on his feet. Shadow gave him a nod, and Silver gave him a thumbs-up.

"It's no problem. Anyways, what did you trip over?" he asked, stooping down to examine whatever it was that tripped Shadow. His eyes widened in shock at what it was. Shadow noticed this and decided to take a look at whatever it was that had Silver's eyes nearly popping out of his sockets.

"Well, I'll be damned. Wood," said Shadow. He had apparently tripped over a pile of wood. They were medium-sized and stacked neatly on top of each other, almost as if someone had left it here. For what reason, neither hedgehog was sure. What they did know was that they finally had some wood and could finally head back to the campsite. There were eight pieces, so they decided that each of them would carry four.

"Ready to head back?" Shadow asked, pulling out a Chaos Emerald that Silver had no idea he even carried with him.

"Yeah, we have what we came for, so let's go," said Silver. They both tightened their hold on the wood; Silver used his free hand to grab Shadow's shoulder, and Shadow, his free hand clasping the glowing red Chaos Emerald tightly, shouted a loud "Chaos Control!" and teleported them back to the campsite.

"Hey guys, we got the fire… Wow, what the heck happened here!?" There, in the center of the clearing, were Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were struggling to get untangled from the tent. Shadow shook his head, muttering simpleminded idiots under his breath. He and Silver chucked the wood off to the side somewhere and proceeded to help their friends get untangled.

* * *

Sally sat in a wooden chair, staring at her reflection in Rouge's bedroom mirror as Amy rolled her hair. The rollers, small and dark blue in color, were slowly being placed in her hair as Amy rolled it. She wore a yellow tank top that showed her stomach and black, silky pajama pants. She had just got finished taking her shower. Rouge took hers first, then Blaze, then Amy, then her, and now they were just waiting for Cream to come out.

Amy wore a bright blue nightgown that stopped at right above her knees. She, too, had rollers in her hair. Unlike Sally's rollers, Amy's were medium in size and a light shade of green.

"And… I'm… finished! You know, your hair is longer than you give it credit for. It's going to look so nice when you take the rollers out tomorrow," said Amy, cracking her knuckles. Sally stood up and stretched, popping her back as blood slowly began flowing back through her body.

"Thanks, Amy. Well, let's put this chair back in the dining room and, I don't know, paint our nails. I almost hated taking off the makeup; you did such a great job with it," she complimented, effortlessly carrying the chair back to the dining room with Amy following closely behind her. Amy beamed at the compliment, a smile lighting up her face.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I'm glad you liked it. I know how you feel. I didn't want to take off the makeup either, but you're not supposed to sleep in makeup. It'll gunk up your pours and junk, or so I've read," said Amy, shrugging her shoulders. She helped Sally put the chair back in its place. They both walked back to Rouge's room to see Rouge and Blaze fixing Cream's hair and nails. Rouge wore a lacey, black night gown that stopped at the middle of her thighs, showing off her gorgeous legs. She wore her hair in a high ponytail; her nails were painted black to match her nightgown. Blaze wore a plain white T-shirt and purple, silky pajama pants. She wore her hair in a side ponytail that was curled, and her nails were painted a stormy gray, like the sky looked like right before it rained. Cream wore a large, oversized pink T-shirt that stopped two inches below her knees. Her hair was currently being straightened by Rouge while her nails were being painted orange by Blaze.

"If you want any nail polish, go in the bathroom and look in the first drawer on the right," said Rouge, not looking up from what she doing.

"Thank you," said Amy, and she and Sally walked to the bathroom. They did as Rouge said, checking the first drawer, and, lo and behold, there was the nail polish. There were so many different colors and shades they didn't even know existed.

"God, what colors don't she have?" Sally asked.

"That's a good question that deserves an even better answer. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I don't have the answer," said Amy. Her eyes roamed over all the different nail polishes. "There's so many colors, I just don't know which one to choose."

"Me either. Well, let's just hurry up and pick something so we can paint each other's nails already." So, grabbing a random color, they closed the drawer and headed back in the bedroom. They sat across from each other on Rouge's softer-than-a-cloud rug and proceeded to paint each other's nails.

* * *

After forty long minutes, Shadow and Silver finally managed to untangle Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles and set up the tent. Sonic and Knuckles helped Shadow and Silver set up the wood while Tails dug in his knapsack for the bag of marshmallows, Hersey bars, Graham Crackers, and flint to start the fire he had brought with him.

"Tails, not trying to rush you or anything buddy, but what's taking so long?" Sonic asked. He sat Indian-style on the ground and had an impatient look on his face, his emerald eyes filled with boredom.

"Well, I found the food, but I can't find the flint," said Tails, chucking the items of food at Knuckles, who easily caught them. Silver levitated five stick their way, each of them grabbing one.

"Well, isn't this just peachy-keen? Now we don't have a way to start a fire," Knuckles grumbled. Silver gave him an annoyed looked, trying hard to resist the urge to shove him through a nearby tree.

"Why are your panties in a freaking knot? You're not the one who spent a freaking hour walking aimlessly around in the dark woods looking for firewood," Silver snapped.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I'm still pissed about getting tangled in the tent with these two clowns!" Knuckles exclaimed, motioning towards Sonic and Tails.

"Like being tangled in the tent was a walk in the park for us," Sonic snapped, anger beginning to surface.

"Yeah, all you did was complain, but then again, that's nothing new, is it?" Tails asked, looking highly irritated, but then again, he had every right to be irritated. _He_ was the one who had brought the tent. _He_ was the one who brought the food. Hell, he was the one who had enough sense to bring the sleeping bags! And yet Knuckles had the gall to blame him?

"Excuse me?" Knuckles asked, cracking his knuckles menacingly. Before faces could be punched and blood could be shed, Shadow intervened.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" It instantly got silent; only the sound of woodland creatures running about and the wind blowing were heard. "Thank you. Look, if I wanted to start an argument, I would've told Sally I thought she gaining weight. Now, did this turn out the way we hoped? Not quite. However, that's no reason to act like such a dick towards each other. As for the fire, I can easily use my Chaos Spear to make one. Had you buffoons kept your trap shuts long enough, I would've been able to tell you guys that."

"I came out here to have some fun, ok? If you all don't say sorry and make up, so help me, I will Chaos Blast you guys into fucking hell, understand?" Shadow threatened, his ruby-red eyes twinkling dangerously. The guys gulped and silently nodded their heads, not trusting themselves to say anything. Shadow smirked and lit the firewood. The flames were a rich, beautiful yellowish-orange color; the fire roared nicely and gave off a welcoming warmth.

"Now, are we gonna have ourselves some S'mores or what?"

* * *

Rouge collapsed on her floor, tired as hell. How long had they'd been up now? Well, they made it to her place around nine o' clock, and it was twelve o' clock in the morning. She moaned into her hands. She needed to get some rest and soon, or she'd have more bags beneath her eyes than shoes she owned, and she owned _a lot_ of shoes.

"Girls, why don't we call it a night? I don't know about ya'll, but looks like these don't just happen overnight, y'know?" said Rouge, winking. Amy let out an adorable yawn, stretching her arms.

"Yeah, I'm getting kind of sleepy myself. Aren't you going to sleep on your bed, Rouge?" Amy asked, looking at her friend in question. Rouge shrugged nonchalantly, lying back down on her carpet.

"Nah, I'm good down here. Cream and Blaze are sleeping in it, and I don't have the heart to kick them out of it. Besides, my carpet is as soft as clouds, so it's not like I won't be uncomfortable," she said, closing her blue eyes. Amy smiled, admiring how nice she looked when she was completely relaxed. She laid down, making herself comfortable.

"Night, Salad. Sweet dreams," Amy whispered as sleep soon overcame her. Sally smiled at Amy's use of the nickname she'd given them when they were younger

"Night, Row Row. Sweet dreams to you too," Sally whispered back, letting her eyes droop shut as sleep overcame her as well.

* * *

"Night, Sonic."

"Night, Silver."

"Night, Tails."

"Night, Knuckles."

"Night, Knuckles."

"Night, Silver.

"Night-"

"Shut up already! Damn!" It was quiet for a minute or two.

"Night, Shad." There was a pause, and a heavy sigh filled the night air.

"Night, faker, and don't call me Shad." A light chuckle resounded through the woods.

"Whatever you say, _Shad_." SMACK! "Shadow, what the fuck!?" A smirk was on the face of the ebony hedgehog who tried his hardest not to laugh.

"Why so surprised? I told you not to call me Shad. Be glad I was kind enough to warn you."

* * *

And that it for chapter 6. I hope you enjoyed reading it. It was definitely longer than the others, about fifteen pages total. I started typing this at ten o' clock yesterday and didn't get finished 'till two something in the morning, but it was totally worth writing. So, if there are any mistakes, please excuse them. Anyways, reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed; flames will be used to wipe the crack of my ass. Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters. All I own is the story.

* * *

Chapter 7

It was a beautiful, peaceful morning, and Amy slept soundly, her breathing soft and even. Oh, how she wished she could've remained asleep forever, but all good things must come to an end at some point. She soon woke up, a yawn managing to break free from her lips. She sat up, looking around the room to see that her friends were still sound asleep. She smiled before laying back down, her arms crossed above her head. Her thoughts wandered towards the one who held her heart. Sonic. She fell for him at the tender age of eight and has loved him ever since. Nine years she'd been chasing him, from eight to seventeen. Most people wondered why she even bothered pursuing him for such a long time. Some even told her she should just quit, but Amy never did. See, Amy wasn't the type of person to simply give up. That wasn't her style. She loved Sonic, and that was something that would never change, no matter what. She would follow him until the ends of the very Earth

Amy really loved Sonic. She loved everything about him. She loved how kind and sweet he was. She loved how dedicated and courageous and loyal he was. She really loved how he never backed down, how his confidence was unwavering, even in the bleakest, most dire of situations. He was always hopeful. He always kept at something until he succeeded. How could she not love a guy like that?

She closed her eyes, an image of Sonic floating in her mind. God, had he grown over the years! His quills were longer, he was taller, he had definitely filled out more, and he was more muscular, though still lean. He really was handsome, every sane girl's dream guy. She loved his beautiful, emerald eyes, his pearly, white smile, and his laugh. God, his laugh was the sweetest music her ears had ever heard. Yes, she thought, allowing herself to fall back to sleep as her mind filled itself with images of her and Sonic together, someday, hopefully someday soon, Sonic would be hers.

* * *

Sonic sat on the steps of his apartment having just got back home from the guys' night he and fellas had yesterday. While there were mild mishaps, a.k.a. him, Knuckles, and Tails getting tangled up in the tent, it really was fun, and he wouldn't mind doing something like that again. He stared at the sky as the sun rose, admiring all the beautiful, almost surreal colors that painted the sky. As he continued gazing at one of nature's marvels, he couldn't help but think about that wonderful, pink hedgehog that was Amy Rose. There was one point in his life when seeing his number one admirer would make him cringe and head for the hills, but now seeing her made his heart flutter and his knees weak.

Honestly, he didn't know when or how his feelings for Amy changed, but they did. Now she was almost all he could think about. He didn't want to run away from her anymore. He wanted to run towards her now; he wanted to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her all over. He wanted to protect her, to be the one to save her from danger, to be her hero. He knew, while she loved him deeply, he didn't love her. Yet. He cared for her deeply and would do anything for her. As for love, well, he could see himself falling in love with. While such a thought used to repulsive him in the past, it didn't bother him nearly as much as it once did.

Thank God he matured over the years. He honestly couldn't understand how Amy managed to put up with him for so long. If he had someone rejecting him as many times as he did Amy, he would've already given up on the chase. But yet, she persisted. She never once gave up on him; she never once let go of him and moved on with her life. Instead, she held on and never let go, clinging to the hope that she'd be with him one day. Sonic had to admit that he admired her for that. It proved to him that she was here to stay, and that she wouldn't leave his side, no matter what the circumstances were. Could he find a girl more worthy to be his than her? He sincerely doubted it.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, Rouge!" Amy called over her shoulder, waving her friend goodbye. Rouge smiled, waving goodbye to her. She, after dropping Cream, Blaze, and Sally off back home, just took Amy home and was about to head back to her place.

"You're welcome, Pinky!" Rouge called back. She then rolled up her windows and drove off, leaving Amy by herself. She began walking down the pathway that led to her house. Contrary to belief, her house wasn't pink. It was actually a forest-green color with red shingles on top of the roof. While it wasn't as big as some of the other neighboring houses, it suited her needs just fine. Pulling out her key, she unlocked her door and stepped inside her house, softly closing the door behind her.

"Ah, it's good to be back home! I really had a lovely time with the girls. I hope we do another girls' night out soon because it was really nice," said Amy, dropping her duffle bag on her brown couch. She walked into her kitchen and headed towards the refrigerator. Opening it, she grabbed a can of Mountain Dew and went to her room. Popping it open, she took a sip out of it, letting it quench her dry throat.

"Ah, that really hit the spot!" she said, patting her now full stomach. Glancing at her alarm clock, she saw that it was 1:00 now. "Wow, time sure flies when you're having fun, I guess. Well, the day is still early. Maybe I can get in a quick nap. I'm feeling kind of sleepy still." Placing her empty drink can on the small table next to her bed, she laid down, getting herself comfortable, she rested her head against her soft, puffy pillows, pulled her comforter over herself, and closed her eyes, letting sleep embrace her. Her dreams were filled with our favorite blue blur as she imagined life with him.

Several miles away, sleeping against the door of his apartment, said hedgehog was also having similar dreams, dreams filled with him, a pink hedgehog, and adorable children.

* * *

I had to put some Sonic/Amy in here! I couldn't possibly forget about those two lovebirds! I tried my best to explain their feelings for each other and why they're not dating just yet. To me, Sonic understands love, just not in the romantic sense, so Amy would have to show it to him. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, as it may be awhile before I post another one. School's almost here for me, and I may not have as much time to write and post chapters to this. Reviews and constructive criticism are more than welcomed; flames will be used to wipe the crack of my ass. Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters.

A/N: It's been a minute, hasn't it? Well, I apologize for the delay. School started this week for me, and I've pretty busy studying and keeping my work up so I won't fall behind. I gotta pull my G.P.A. up. Plus, I'm taking another online college class, History 101, so that takes away more of my free time. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Chapter 8

It was a bright, Saturday morning, and Sonic, being an early riser, was in the living room propped up on the dark red couch he and Shadow had bought. Silently eating a bowl of cereal, he let his mind wonder as he thought about this and that. However, there was always a thought that seemed to be in his head more and more lately, and it was strange to him. Never before would he'd have thought he'd actually harbor feelings that went beyond friendship for Amy Rose of all people, but life was weird like that. Well, Sonic supposed liking her wasn't all so bad. She was pretty, caring, and sweet as can be. Plus, she could defend herself easily from harm, so he wouldn't have to worry too much about protecting her all the time. But, he still didn't want a relationship with her right now. Truth be told, he was afraid of love, and how could he know if it was there or not? Sonic wasn't the kind of guy to wear his heart on his sleeve, and he wasn't about to say or do anything he may regret.

"My life was so much simpler when it was just about saving the world, running, and pigging out on chilidogs. Why did it become so complicated?" Sonic asked out loud to no one in particular. Leaning against the fluffy cushions on the couch, he continued staring listlessly at the television before him, not really paying attention to what was on. His thoughts were cloudy with images of Amy. While a part of him said just go for it, another part of him said wait, and he hadn't a clue which one to listen to. He wanted Amy, he was sure of it, but he wasn't sure why he wanted her and knew he couldn't lead her on; it'd be wrong of him to have her thinking he liked her more than what he did. He cared about her, but Amy loved him, and he knew he just wasn't in love with her. Yet.

"Judging from the deep look of concentration on your face, I would say that you're deep in thought, but my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Sonic, tripping over himself because of his indecisiveness towards Amy, when he once swore up and down he wanted nothing to do with her?" Sonic nearly jumped out of his skin. Catching himself, he looked over his shoulder to see his darker counterpart leaning casually against the doorway of their living room, arms crossed over his chest. As his words dawned on to him, Sonic shot him a glare, heating up with embarrassment.

"Oh yeah? And how far have you and Sally gotten?" he spat. Shadow almost rolled his eyes at Sonic's childish anger and his useless attempt to rile him up.

"Further than you and Amy, I'm sure. You claim to like her, yet, while you don't head for the hills as soon as you see her, you don't try to better your relationship with her. Pretty pathetic, but then again, it's you, so I really shouldn't be that surprised. I mean, would it really kill you to spend some time with the girl, or are you simply that afraid of your feelings that you're going to run away from them like you usually do? How mature of you," said Shadow, sneering slightly. It was times like these that make him question Amy's unwavering love towards the blue blur. Sonic, he decided, was either a bigger fool than he gave him credit for, or a coward. He had a girl who loved him more than life itself and would do anything for him, and yet he rebuffed her feelings as if they were nothing. He silently thanked God Amy was not the suicidal type, for she surely would've killed herself by now if the heartbreak and pain hadn't.

Sonic was at a loss of words, not sure how to respond to Shadow's jab, so he opted to ignore it. He knew he was being childish, but whatever. It irritated him that Shadow's words were true. Sure, he had spent time with Amy before, but the times he spent with her were also with the rest of the team. How long had it been since _they_ spent time together, just the two of them? Sonic rubbed his temples in frustration, closing his eyes. This romance thing? Yeah, it sucked, especially for somebody as clueless in the subject as himself.

* * *

Tails, that ingenious twin-tailed fox, was inside his workshop. His workshop was where he pretty much lived. He had a neat bedroom in the back of his workshop, a little kitchen with a fridge filled with food, a bathroom, and everything else someone would expect to see in a house. Right now, he was tinkering away at the engine of his airplane, the Tornado. Its engine got battered from a previous battle with Eggman a while back, and he was too busy at the time to repair. Now, since he had some free time on his hands, he figured he could use the time to fix its engine, maybe through in a few upgrades. He heard a soft knock on the door and paused what he was doing. Wiping his hands on a rag he kept nearby, he walked to the door and answered. Cream stood on the doorstep, looking as pretty as ever. Tails felt himself smiling, but he couldn't help himself. Cream gave him plenty of things to smile about.

"Hello, Tails. Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting you or anything," said Cream, sounding apologetic. That was so typical Cream, always worrying about others. It was one of the many things he loved about her. She was so selfless.

"Oh, I was just working on the Tornado. It was pretty damaged, so I'm doing some repairs on it," Tails said, shrugging his shoulders lightly. Cream nodded her head. He was always fixing or inventing some wonderful machine. He was so intelligent and resourceful, a very valuable and important member of the team, even if he didn't do any actual fighting.

"You work too hard, Tails. One of these days, you're going to work yourself to death. Mamma is baking some chocolate chip cookies. Would you like to by for a bite to eat?" Cream asked, those beautiful brown eyes of hers melting his heart. How could he possibly say no to an offer as sweet as that?

"Sure, Cream. That does sound really nice. I haven't had a bite to eat in a minute. Just give me a chance to clean myself up. I'm sure you don't want to hang around a guy who smells like oil and dirt." They both laughed, smiling at each other. Cream felt herself getting lost in those mesmerizing blue eyes of Tails. She was really lucky to have such a sweet, smart guy as him, but Tails felt like he was the lucky one. He really never met a girl quite like Cream, and he felt like he never would. She was in a class all her own.

Hurrying back inside his workshop, Tails quickly ran to his bathroom and opened the door. Grabbing a clean towel he kept under his skin, he quickly wiped himself down, ridding himself of the scent and stains of oil. He then headed back outside, where Cream stood patiently waiting for him. She beamed up at him, and he did the same, linking his arm with hers. His smiled widened as he saw the lightest touches of a blush on her cheeks. They silently walked to Cream's house, enjoying the comfort they brought each other.

* * *

Silver groaned into the palms of his hands as Blaze did her victory dance, waving her arms in the air as she spun around in circles, a victorious smile on her face. Silver had asked her to come over to his apartment, which she agreed to, ignoring the butterflies that fluttered around madly inside her stomach. So, they basically chilled, laughing and talking about a little of this, and a little of that. After a while of doing that, Silver suggested that they play his PS3, which Blaze agreed to. They were playing some sort of racing game, and Silver was royally kicking Blaze's butt. However, on the final lap, just as Silver was about to win, Blaze's race car somehow came from behind and crossed the finish line seconds before Silver's race car did. Thus, Blaze was doing her victory dance while Silver sat on the ground watching her.

While he was slightly irritated he lost, he was happy to see his best friend in such high spirits. With her being so serious about things all the time, although she had loosened up more nowadays than she had in the past, it was nice to see her smiling, laughing, and honestly having a good time. It made his mood lighten and his smile widen just from seeing her in such a good mood. Blaze, after doing her victory dance for five minutes, stopped. Her golden eyes stared into Silver's eyes, and she felt herself blushing, quickly averting her gaze as she twirled a strand of her hair.

Such behavior wasn't like her. She never pegged herself to be the kind of girl who simply fell over a guy just because he was cute or whatever, but Silver, he was different. There was something about him, she wasn't really sure what, that made her attracted to him. She was usually as blunt and forward as people came, except for maybe Shadow, and she hardly had any trouble with telling people just what was on her mind, but whenever she was around Silver, it was like her mind shut itself off. Blaze often found herself at a loss of words. She had never felt such a way for someone before in the past. What, then, made him so different? What was it about him that called out to her?

Blaze mentally shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head softly to rid her mind of such pestering thoughts. She didn't have time to dwell on why her best friend suddenly made her heart soar and her face heated with a dark blush. Sitting back down beside him, she picked up her game controller and looked at him, a small smirk on her face as her golden eyes twinkled.

"So, do you want to quit and leave with whatever shred of dignity you have left, or do you want to get your butt handed to you on the silver platter I'm about to serve you?" Silver rolled his eyes, also picking up his controller. He expertly held it in his hands as he turned his attention back towards his TV screen. He couldn't lose again. Blaze would surely never let him hear the end of it.

"Careful with your words, Blaze. It may be me doing all the serving over here," was his response, his golden eyes gleaming with the determination to defeat her. Blaze's smile widened, and they soon began another game.

* * *

And that's it for this chapter. I really hoped you enjoyed it. I'm not sure when the next update will be. I'll be spending my weekend studying, as I have high school classes and a college class to be concerned with. But, please bear with me, and I'll update this as soon as I can. Reviews and constructive criticism are more than welcomed; flames will be used to wipe the crack of my ass. Until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters.

* * *

Chapter 9

_Ah, what a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon_, Knuckles thought to himself, amethyst eyes staring lazily at the sky, sighing softly. He leaned against the brown, rough trunk of a tree, watching the Master Emerald. It was a very large gem, resting leisurely on top of its stone shrine, looking magnificent and powerful. The sun's rays bounced off of its smooth surface, causing it to glow a soft green. It was so quiet and peaceful, and Knuckles found himself nodding off. His eyes drooped shut, and he was soon sleeping, light snoring disrupting silence.

Unbeknownst to him, someone was watching him. Blue eyes twinkled and a smirk made its way to her glossed lips as she watched the sleeping guardian. Wings, a dark purple color, fluttered rapidly, easily keeping her aloft. Her eyes strayed from the echidna to the large jewel that sat perched atop of its pedestal. With its guardian sleeping, stealing that jewel would be a cinch, and who better to take than herself? Swooping downward, Rouge landed gracefully on the stone steps of the Master Emerald's shrine, her heels barely making a sound as they scrape against the steps. She stared in awe at the gem, smiling widely as she dug inside the satchel she brought with her for some rope.

_Thanks for making this so easy for me, Knucklehead_, Rouge thought, securing the rope around the gem. She grabbed the loose end of the rope, preparing to fly off with her prize. That's when she made a mistake. What was that mistake? She glanced over her shoulder and looked at him. That's what messed her up. Just one look at him made her weak in her knees and her heart beat madly. Her hesitation irritated her. Why was she stopping now? She was so close, so close she could almost taste. She finally had what she wanted, right? She wanted the Master Emerald from the first day she saw it. Now, here it was, right in the palm of her hand, and yet she didn't make off with it. Rouge sighed, letting the rope fall from her hand. She deftly untied the rope and packed it back inside of her satchel. Eyes glued on Knuckles, she quietly walked towards him, a small smile on her flawless face.

"I guess I'm going soft, eh, Knuckie? I mean, any other time I would've made off with that emerald of yours without a second thought. Now, I have the chance to take it, but I don't. Am I sick or something, or do I care more for you than I realize? Who knows? Anyways, sorry for trying to steal your jewel. Honestly, I never really wanted it. I just used it as an excuse to be near you." Rouge paused, laughing softly, shaking her head in disbelief. "I know, right? That sounds so lame, but it's true. I really do like you, you doofus." She patted his face softly, smiling at his sleeping form. God, even in his sleep, he still managed to take her breath away.

_Sweet dreams, Knuckles_. She unfolded her wings and, gently flapping them, she flew away. Amethyst eyes opened, watching her fly off into the sky, going wherever her wings felt like taking her. His face broke out into a smile, his hand touching his cheek. He could still feel the warmth from her hand when she touched.

_I knew you had some good in you. And, I like spending time with you too, bat-girl_.

* * *

"Ugh! I don't know what's gotten into me lately," Rouge groaned, running her fingers through her snowy hair as she paced the hardwood floor of Sally's bedroom. Sally laid on her bed, eating a bag of Cheetos as she watched her frustrated friend. She really didn't understand what had Rouge's panties in a knot. She didn't steal the Master Emerald. That showed she had changed for the better. Wasn't that a good thing?

"Rouge, don't you think you're overreacting a little? I mean, isn't it good that you didn't steal the Master Emerald?" Sally asked. Finished with her chips, she crumbled the empty bag and threw it in the trashcan near her bed. Rouge paused mid-step, casting a side-glance in her direction, pondering her words.

"Well, yeah, but that's so unlike me. I mean, I am a treasure hunter. Hunter treasure's what I do, and I can't think of any treasure better than that emerald." She plopped down onto Sally's bed, an exasperated sigh leaving her lips as she stared up at the ceiling.

"I can understand your reasoning. Maybe you didn't steal it because Knuckles was the first one to really trust you, and you stealing it would shatter his trust in you. He was the first one to really accept you, despite your history, and show you true friendship. I think he means more to you than you're willing to let on." Rouge gasped, eyes widening in shock as Sally's words washed over her. God, was she that easy to read? She was the queen of stealth, a master at all things sneaky, and yet Sally saw through her façade with hardly any effort. Man, she really was slipping.

"Am I that obvious?" Rouge asked, blue eyes glancing at her friend.

"No, you're not. I just know you that well. It's not so bad liking him. You two would look really nice together. You're opposites, but you two have more similarities than you do differences. You're both just too stubborn to admit it," said Sally, dodging a pillow that Rouge threw at her with ease.

"Yeah, you got me there. We do make a pretty awesome pair, don't we?" she asked, smiling. Sally nodded her head, happy that her friend was acting like her usual confident and upbeat self again. It seemed like all her friends were getting more in sync with the guys they liked. She and Blaze were texting a few hours ago, and Blaze said she was over at Silver's apartment playing video games and watching movies, which Sally found so cute. From what she gathered from Amy, Cream and Tails were over her house bonding over snacks, which was equally cute. She wasn't too sure how Sonic and Amy were fairing; Sonic always was the indecisive one when it came to the matters of the heart, but she was sure he would unlock his feelings for Amy when the time was right. Rouge and Knuckles were actually doing very well from what Rouge just told her, which left her and Shadow.

Sometimes just saying his name sent shivers of pleasure dancing down her spine. He was so aloof, so mysterious. She longed to learn more about who he was. She wanted to learn what made him tick. He certainly was intriguing. Whenever she looked into those red eyes of his, she felt like she could see so much in their depths, all the pain he felt, all the memories he made. Those eyes, once so cold and filled with hate, were no warm and lively. They were a gateway into his mind, his soul, and Sally yearned to jump beneath the surface of the water, swim to the very bottom, and see what she could find.

It was times like these when she wished she could be forward with her feelings like Amy. She praised Amy for her boldness; she seemed so in tune with her feelings, especially those she harbored for Sonic, and had no problems in expressing them. Why couldn't she be more like that? Sometimes, when she saw Shadow, she wanted to pounce on him and tell him he made her heart beat a million beats a second; she wanted to tell him that she really liked him and that he was important to her, but she always, always held her tongue. Could it be that she was afraid? Partially. If she knew how he felt about her, she'd be more willing to express her feelings. However, since she didn't know exactly how he felt about her, she hesitated, waited, not wanting to risk putting her heart on the line just to have it shattered into millions of pieces. She doubted she could ever recover from such a thing.

Rouge watched her in silence, already knowing who now occupied her mind. Rouge knew Shadow like the back of her hand. He was her best friend after all. Shadow used to be so cold and distant, but he had his reasons. There was a time when she felt like she and Shadow could be something more than friends, but Knuckles, that wily echidna, had long ago stole her heart without her even realizing it, and she knew he was the only guy for her. Besides, she and Shadow, they were much better off as friends. Plus, Shadow wasn't great at showing how he felt. Rouge often wondered if any girl would capture his attention. Just when she'd given up all hope, Sally came along and ignited a fire in Shadow's heart, whether he chose to verbally admit it or acknowledge it.

Initially, Rouge had her doubts about Sally. Because she was a princess, she assumed she would be all bratty, snobby, and just horrible. However, she was pleasantly surprised to see that Sally was the exact opposite of those awful things. She was kind, sweet, and very supportive of those she cared about. She was also smart and a natural leader, heading fearlessly into battle. She was dedicated in all that she did, and she was also a very loyal friend; she was definitely a valuable addition to their team.

She and Shadow, they weren't so different. They both been through quite a bit, Sally losing her parents in a war and simply abandoned her title as princess. She left behind her kingdom, her crown, and her people. Shadow lost his friend Maria, the first person to show him genuine kindness and treated him like a person. Thing there was that whole incident with the Black Arms or whatever and Black Doom. She mentally shuddered. She did not like remembering that at all, which was why she often chose to not think about it. They complimented each other nicely, both quiet and reserved, both having been through some things. She really couldn't see Shadow with anyone else other than Sally. They just clicked y'know? Since Sally was so kind to give her some advice, Rouge decided to return the favor.

"Thanks for the talk, Sally. I really appreciated it," said Rouge. She hopped off of her bed and headed to the door.

"Oh, it's no problem, Rouge. I'm glad I could be of help," said Sally. She meant what she had said. She really loved helping others, and she rarely passed up the chance to help someone in need. It was just in her nature to be that way.

"Yeah, I better get going. There's a Golden Girls' marathon coming on later, and I really don't want to miss it." She opened the door, taking one foot out. She looked over her shoulder, staring directly at Sally, who stared back with mild curiosity. "Shadow always goes to Daisy's Café for coffee Sunday morning. Maybe you should drop by, pay him a visit." Sally blushed at the mention of Shadow's name. Rouge saw this and smiled, throwing her a wink as she left, closing her bedroom door softly behind her. Sally stood up, walking to her dresser. She stared at her reflection, fiddling with the strands of her hair. A smile made its way to her face as she thought about Shadow once more.

_Am I that obvious, Rouge? Oh well. At least I know where he spends his mornings, at least on Sundays anyways. I guess I _COULD _go visit him. I mean, there's no harm in that, right?_ Maybe she should. She wanted to bond more with Shadow, and what better way to do it then over a steaming cup of delicious coffee? With that in mind, Sally began picking out a nice outfit for tomorrow, determined to further her relationship with Shadow. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

I had some free time on my hands, thank God, so I decided to write chapter nine. Since I didn't mention Knuckles, Rouge, Shadow, and Sally's relationships in the last chapter, I decided to put it in this one instead. I hope you enjoyed reading it! Reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed and appreciated; flames will be sent the deepest pits of the Earth to rot. Until next time.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters.

* * *

Chapter 10

Silence was all around the room. Blue, silky curtains were drawn closed, preventing curious sunlight rays from peeking inside the room. Covers were scattered across a large, queen-sized bed, slipping down and touching the smooth, brown hardwood floor. Sound asleep and snoozing quietly, was Sally. Her limbs were sprawled in every direction, her head resting comfortably on a fluffy white pillow. An alarm clock, shaped like a heart, rested on a table she kept near her bed, suddenly went off, the ringing bell sound shattering the silence and waking her up from a beautiful sleep. Eyes still closed, her hand moved blindly around, trying to hit her alarm's snooze button to shut it up. She soon found it and slammed her hand down upon it, sighing as silence, sweet, sweet silence, enveloped her room once more. She was tempted to fall back asleep again, but then she remembered something vital.

"Crap! I'm supposed to be getting ready to meet Shadow!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her bed. Quickly glancing at her clock, she released a sigh of relief. It was 7:05. She had just enough time to get herself ready. Feet padding softly across her wooden floor, Sally walked to her closet, gently picking up and placing a nice set of clothes on her bed. She looked at the clothes, a satisfied smile on her face.

_These well definitely do. Well, no sense in standing around. I have to get ready_. She grabbed a towel and face cloth and dashed to her bathroom, all but slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

Ruby eyes opened, staring at the black ceiling above him. He yawned, stretching his still sleepy body. Turning to his side, he glanced at his alarm clock, checking the time. It was only 7:08, plenty of time for him to get dressed and go over to Daisy's Café. It was a small, cozy café in Central Station Square. It had wonderful food and sold the best cup of coffee he had ever tasted. Sometimes he went for coffee in the middle of the week, he always, always, made sure to visit the café on Sunday mornings. It was very quiet and hardly any people were there, giving him a chance to enjoy some time to himself.

He pushed himself out of his cozy bed, smoothing over his black, satin sheets. Walking barefoot across his carpeted floor, he headed to his bathroom to take a much-needed shower. He felt filthy, and his mouth reeked of morning breath. Closing the door behind him, he walked over to his shower and turned on the water, setting it to a warm temperature. Since he was already nude, Shadow stepped into the shower, pulling the white curtains back.

He stood directly under the water, letting its warmth cascade down his furry body. Reaching for some soap, he lathered it up and began bathing. He washed his body slowly and thoroughly, wanting to make sure he was nothing short of clean. He allowed the water to rinse the soap suds off of him. He was almost done; now he needed to wash his quills, so, picking up a bottle of shampoo, he proceeded to do just that. Of course, Shadow was careful. While his quills weren't razor sharp, they could still prick him if he wasn't careful. Stepping under the water once again, he rinsed his quills, making sure to get all the shampoo out of it. Now all there was left for him to do was dry off, brush his teeth, and get dressed.

* * *

Sally spat out a mouthful of Listerine, her mouth feeling clean and minty fresh. She smiled briefly at her reflection, admiring how clean and white her teeth were. Rinsing the sink out, she strolled back into her room, green towel wrapped securely around her. She took off her towel, and, after quickly drying herself off, she folded it and neatly placed it on the foot of her bed.

"Now, all there's left for me to do is get dressed and do something to my hair," she mused, eyes glancing back at the clock. It was 7:30. It would probably take her fifteen minutes to get herself situated, so Sally began getting dressed, hoping Shadow would like what he saw when he saw her.

* * *

Shadow, ever the quick one, was already dressed in his usual attire, and his quills were in their usual upswept style. He was currently in the kitchen cooking a quick breakfast. Oh, but he wasn't cooking it for himself. No, he was cooking it for…

"Hey Shadow, are you almost done yet? I'm hungry," Sonic whined from the dining room, where he sat in a chair with his legs perched up on the table. Shadow took a deep breath, resisting the tempting offer of strangling the breath out of the blue hedgehog that he viewed as an annoying, but loyal best friend. Shadow, who only cooked a few slices of bacon, toast, scrambled eggs, and some waffles, placed all of said items neatly on a plate and carried it to the dining room, where his "royal highness" awaited.

Sonic's mouth watered at the sight of the delicious food, emeralds eyes widening in pure delight as his stomach growled. Giving Shadow a quick thank you, dug into his food, eating sloppily and quickly. Shadow saw this but said nothing. Even at nineteen, Sonic's table manners were still underdeveloped.

"Going out for coffee again?" Sonic asked in-between bites, taking a swig of cool, refreshing orange juice he had fixed himself earlier. Shadow nodded as he walked past him, shoving his legs off of their table. Just when Sonic was about to open his mouth to complain, Shadow spoke.

"Yes, and stop propping your legs on our table. I'm sick of having to wipe your muddy shoe prints off it. It tends to get irritating after doing it seven weeks straight," said Shadow. He threw on a black, leather jacket, tucking his wallet inside one of the pockets; he also grabbed his house key. Sonic smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry, Shadow. I'll try to remember to clean up after myself so there's less work for you to do. You know how forgetful I can be." Shadow nodded, glancing at the clock. His eyes widened when he saw that it was 7:50. He only had ten minutes to get there.

"I'll hold you to your word, hedgehog. I'll be back later. Call me or text me if anything happens, alright?" Sonic waved him off, his trademark grin on his face. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he watched Shadow leave.

"I got it. Have a good time, Shadow," Sonic called, waving his friend goodbye. He picked up his dishes, tossing them into the sink. Walking through the dining room, he made his way to the living room, plopping down on the couch. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV, flipping randomly through channels. Amy, who found out from Rouge, told him that Sally was also going to the coffee shop as well. He actually thought it was cute, Sally, who he saw as a little sister, and Shadow, who he respected and often saw him as a cool best friend, liked each other. They seemed like they would work, balancing each other out in perfect harmony.

He felt like he should take Amy out somewhere. Perhaps they could swing by Twinkle Park sometime. Of course, he would have Shadow and Sally come along. He wasn't quite ready to take Amy on "dates", which Amy would certainly think the outings were, alone. He figured get used to hanging around Amy at a deeper and more intimate level before he would take their relationship to the next level.

* * *

Sally looked at herself in her mirror, making sure she looked alright, which she did. Honestly, she looked better than alright. She looked gorgeous. Her hair was down, curling her silky bangs while the rest of her hair was straightened to perfection. She wore some mascara and outlined her eyes with black eyeliner, making her sapphire orbs pop. Her lips were shiny, smooth, and cherry-red, thanks to her long-lasting cheery lip gloss.

She wanted her outfit to be beautiful, yet not too out there, so she wore a black tank, dark blue capris, and black Converses. She always had a habit of mixing girly with tomboy, but she felt like she did a pretty wonderful job. Sally picked up her purse, a black, shiny, and one-hundred percent Coach, courtesy of Rouge, and, after making sure she had some money and her house key, she left.

It was a cool morning, the sun hidden behind clouds. She walked out of her yard and down the sidewalk, the breeze tickling her skin. She could've taken her car, but she could use the walk. Besides, walking was good exercise. Sally really enjoyed being outside; nature was so beautiful, and Station Square was a pretty little place to live, with its clean air and clean cities and awesome parks.

"I wonder what I'll do when I get to the café. I don't even know! I mean, I'm not the forward type, well, not when it comes to matters of the heart. I've never even dated a guy before. But, I'm pretty sure Shadow's never dated a girl either, so we'll be each other's firsts," said Sally, smiling. She never pegged herself as the type to be all girly and romantic, but when it came to Shadow, she couldn't help but feel all giddy and weird. She wasn't sure what was going to happen when she made it to the café, but she was sure it wouldn't be so bad, right? She could only keep her fingers crossed and hope for the best.

* * *

"Ah, Shadow! My favorite customer! You want your usual order, or perhaps you'd like to try something new?" John, a large, friendly raccoon, was the owner of Daisy's Café. He named it after his daughter, who often dropped by to help keep the place up and running. Shadow rarely sat inside, unless the weather was bad. He sat outside at a small booth close to the café's windows.

"Just the usual, please," said Shadow, handing John the menu.

"Ok. I'll be back with your order in five minutes," said John, and he shuffled back inside, humming a tune to himself. Shadow just sat there, enjoying the shade the red umbrella at his booth offered. He sat comfortably in his silver chair, grateful that the seat was cushioned. His arms were crossed across his chest, and his eyes were shut. His expression was that of someone who was relaxed. Yes, he certainly did enjoy having some time to himself, although, if he were being real with himself, it got to be bit boring after a while. He had always spent a good bit of his life in solitude; would it be so wrong of him to want to share his time with someone else?

Shadow snorted, shaking his head. In the past, he wouldn't have given a rip and would've glad spent the rest of his days alone. However, he was immature and full of hate, hurt, and regret. He didn't know what he was thinking back then, pushing away everyone. That was just how he dealt with his problems: on his own and by himself. It was his way of life. It was how he managed to survive for so long, even with such high odds against him.

"Hi, Shadow. Fancy meeting you here, huh?" That voice, so familiar, so sweet, snapped him out of his thoughts. Eyes peeking open, he was pleasantly surprised to see no other than Sally Acorn staring bashfully at him. What was she doing here, and how did she know he spent his Sunday mornings here? His eyes widened as one person immediately came to his mind. _Rouge_. He shook his head; somehow, he wasn't surprised that his friend dipped her gloved hands in his affairs. Of course she would let it slip to Sally, the girl who made him feel unfamiliar feelings, the girl who he cared more about than he was willing to show, that he hung around here.

"Yes, I suppose it is. What brings you out here so early in the morning, princess?" Shadow asked, smiling at the pretty blush that now stained her soft, perfect cheeks. He was wondering why he didn't tell her to leave, that she was intruding on his alone time. Maybe he didn't want her to go. She certainly wasn't bothering him or anything, and he knew he didn't truly want her to leave.

"Stop calling me that, and I just wanted to go out. Of course, if you don't me to be here, I could always head home or something," said Sally, suddenly sounding nervous and unsure. Shadow shook his head, standing up and, being the gentleman that he was, pulled a chair out for her to sit in.

"If I was bothered by your presence, I would've already told you to leave. Clearly, I'm not, so I see no reason for you to leave." Sally sat across from him, still blushing, but smiling as well. She felt relieved; she was worried she was intruding on him and that he would tell her to leave or whatever. She was really happy he didn't though. John came back out, balancing a tray with food on it in one hand, and a steamy cup of what appeared to be coffee in his other hand. He walked to their table and placed said items in front of Shadow, not noticing Sally.

"Here you are, Shadow, your usual breakfast order and hot cup of cappuccino. Enjoy- Oh, and who is this lovely lady?" John asked, having finally noticed Sally. Sally beamed at the compliment.

"I'm Sally, Sally Acorn," Sally said, introducing herself. John extended his hand, which Sally shook in a firm handshake. John laughed, his large belly jiggling.

"You've got a nice handshake, little lady. I'm John Byler, owner of this fine establishment. You must be new to the place because I've never seen you before." She nodded her head.

"Yes, I've never eaten here before, so I don't really know what to order," she admitted.

"She'll have what I have, but instead of a cappuccino, she'll have a glass of your finest orange juice," said Shadow. Sally gave him a grateful smile, and Shadow felt his heart beat a bit faster. He must be imagining things. John smiled to himself, watching the two interact with each other.

"I'll be right back with your food in five minutes, miss. It was nice meeting you," said John, and he shuffled back inside once again. Sally eyed Shadow, a smile playing with her lips.

"Thanks for ordering for me, Shadow. That was really sweet of you," said Sally, her fingers fiddling with her curled bangs. It may not seem like sometime to get happy over. For crying out loud, all he did was order her food for her. However, to Sally, it meant the world to her simply because he didn't have to. It was the fact that he did that spoke volumes to her.

"It's no problem. I can be a pretty sweet person when I want to," said Shadow. He felt a smile fighting to show itself, but he fought it off, wanting to keep his face neutral. Somehow, though, he felt like she could see right through his mask. She reached her hand across the table, resting it on top of his. He looked up at her, red gazing into blue. That pretty smile never left her face, and he could see that she was blushing again.

"I know you can. I always thought of you as a sweet guy," she said, her blue eyes twinkling with an emotion Shadow couldn't quite place his finger on. She thought of him as sweet? Well, that was a first. His friends didn't think he was an awful guy or anything, but he didn't think any of time referred to him as sweet, save for Amy that one time. Plus, when Amy told him that, his heart didn't feel weird. Why did Sally's words tug on the strings of his heart then? They both heard the sound of footsteps and quickly moved their hands away from each other. John, who didn't see it, placed Sally's food and drink in front of her.

"Here you are, dear. I hope you enjoy it!" John said cheerfully.

"I'm sure I will. Thank you," said Sally.

"Aw, it's no trouble at all. If you two need anything else, don't hesitate to ask," he said, heading back inside, the door closing quietly behind him. They both began eating their food in silence, each savoring the delicious taste that assaulted their taste buds.

"Wow, this food is really good! I don't think I've ever tasted pancakes this great before," said Sally, licking crumbs and syrup off of her lips. Shadow's eyes followed the movement, and he could feel a familiar stirring in his groin. He mentally shook his head, willing such dirty thoughts to go away.

"Yeah, John makes a mean breakfast. He named this place after his daughter," said Shadow, taking a sip of his cappuccino.

"He did? That's so sweet of him to do. I can imagine my dad doing something like that for me if he was still around," said Sally, a look of sadness wiping away the smile on her face. Shadow could tell that, from what she just said, that her father either left her or passed away. Something told him it was the latter.

"He passed away?" Sally gave a quick nod of her head, using her fork to play with her grits and eggs.

"Yes, he died a long time ago when I still lived in my kingdom. He died in battle, and my mother, who was unable to cope with the grief, fled from the kingdom, taking me with her. We lived somewhere on the countryside, but, not long after I turned eight, my mother fell very ill and died. The doctors said she died from a broken heart," she said. While she kept her face calm, her voice betrayed the emotions she refused to show. She sounded angry, hurt, and sad, and Shadow wished he could do something, anything to comfort her. So, much to his, well, both of their surprises, he stood up and hugged her.

Sally's eyes went wide with shock. She wasn't expecting Shadow to comfort her, and she certainly wasn't expecting him to hug her, but she welcomed both nonetheless and didn't hesitate in hugging him back, resting her head on his shoulders as his hands rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"I know how it feels to lose someone you care about. You feel so alone and like no one cares about you. But, life goes on, and you just have to deal with it as best as you can," said Shadow. Those words were spoken directly out of his heart; sometimes he still felt the pain from his loss of Maria. However, like he said, life went on, and eventually he picked up the pieces and moved on. They pulled away, staring at each other.

"I know Shadow. I never really talked about my parents' deaths with anyone before. It felt good getting it off my chest. Thank you for caring," Sally said softly, eyes glowing with happiness. Shadow didn't bother fighting the blush that made its way to his face. He lifted a hand and absently played with strands of her silky hair.

"It's no problem. I care about you a lot, Sally, maybe more than I should," Shadow whispered. His eyes were ablaze with an emotion Sally thought she only felt. She felt her heartbeat quicken as Shadow leaned forward slowly, giving her time to move away if she wanted to. Sally didn't move, though. She'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't want it. Just as their lips were about to meet in a fiery kiss, Shadow pulled away. He quickly moved back to his seat and picked up his cappuccino, looking nonchalant. Sally was just about to question him when she heard a door opening. John walked back out and was headed for their table.

_Oh! That's why he stopped. He didn't want John to walk in on us and kill the moment_, Sally thought silently, handing John her plate and cup as he cleaned up their table for them. Shadow quickly paid for their food, despite her protests, and together they left, walking side-by-side in silence. Shadow offered to walk her home, and she let him. They soon made it her place, and she turned around to tell Shadow goodbye. As soon as she was about to speak, warm lips were pressed insistently against hers, leaving no room for complaints, not that Sally was complaining. Nope, she wasn't complaining at all. The kiss itself wasn't deep or anything, but it certainly held promise and left her wanting more regardless.

Shadow broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, breathing in her sweet, heady scent as he stared at her. He wanted to do that for a while now, but held his tongue, not sure how Sally would react if he did. Now, as he stared at her, noticing the clear want shining in her sapphire eyes, he cursed himself for not doing it sooner. Had he known she would've reacted like this, he would've done it a hell of a lot sooner.

"I'll see you later, princess," Shadow whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her waiting lips. Just as he pulled away, Sally pulled him back, giving him another spine-tingling kiss that was much longer than the first two they shared.

"Ok, Shadow. Goodbye," said Sally. She turned away and walked down the path that led to her house, her heart hammering wildly against her rip cage. She couldn't believe she and Shadow just kissed! Three times already and the day had badly begun! She pulled her house key out of her purse and unlocked her door. She didn't know what this meant, but one thing was certain, they weren't just friends anymore.

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It's September, baby! My birthday month! So, I decided to post chapter 10 on the first of my birthday month. How'd you like it? I decided to focus solely on Shadow and Sally in this chapter. They're not a couple yet, but they're getting there. I apologize if they seemed out of character. Tell me what you think! Reviews and constructive criticism are more than welcomed; flames will be used to roast some delicious s'mores. Until next time!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, just this story.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I really appreciate them. I just want to give special thanks to jazzybizzle, DarkRose731, and Maya Uzumaki the Hedgehog for their amazing support and sweet words of encouragement. I would also like to take time to give a shout out to Thunder Croft and xxBrownSugarxx for their kind words. All of their stories are pretty damn good, and I encourage you to check them out. Talking too much, ain't I? Onto the story!

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Chapter 11

Shadow's mind was reeling, feeling the adrenaline rush through his body as he walked home. He couldn't believe what he'd done. He kissed Sally Acorn! Yet, as startling as such a thought was to him, he wasn't as put off by what he'd done as much as he felt he should. He didn't understand why he'd done it; he simply felt like kissing her, so he did. What really surprised him was the fact that, instead of pushing him away, Sally welcomed his lips, kissing him back with just as much desire. Had she wanted it to? And if so, why didn't she tell him? Shadow couldn't solve such a problem on his own, so he needed to ask someone for help? Ah, but who could he go to?

Shadow's ears flattened themselves on his head as Amy squealed, sounding as lovesick as ever. They were at Station Square National Park, sitting beside each other on a dark-brown, wooden park bench. He should've figured Amy, as in love with love and as much of a hopeless, lovesick romantic she could often be at times, would react in such a girly manner. She had a dreamy look in her pretty jade eyes, and she wore an ecstatic grin on her face.

"Really, Amy, did it really take all that? All we did was kiss. You act like I got on bended knee and proposed to her," said Shadow, shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant manner. Honestly, he couldn't see what the big deal was. So what if he kissed Sally? So what if enjoyed it immensely, more than he cared to admit, and wouldn't mind doing it again? Surely that didn't mean anything, did it?

"Gosh, Shadow. You really are clueless in the thing we call love, aren't you? I mean, this kiss is a big deal! As long as I've known you, I've never seen you so close and intimate with anyone like you are with Sally. Why deny yourself the happiness you know you crave, that you deserve?" asked Amy, eyeing her friend with concern in her eyes. Shadow, whom she saw as an older brother, had always looked out for her. Looking out for him was like a second-nature to her. Few knew the horrors and hell he'd been through; fewer still could even grasp it. She'd never seen him so happy and at ease before in a while, so why would he throw away a perfect chance at happiness?

"Amy, I love how determined and optimistic you are. I love how you go for after you want, no matter how difficult it is. I don't operate like that, though. You've got to learn how to see things from my point of view. I was created by a man as a sort of bribe to keep his granddaughter alive. I lost the first person I truly cared about. I came close to helping the Doctor wipe out this planet, and I was forced to do things that still make me blood run cold when I think about it." Shadow paused, staring into jade eyes that glistened with unshed tears. He knew it pained her to hear him speak like this, but it needed to be said so she could understand where he was coming from.

"I'm basically saying that I can't afford another loss like Maria. Maria was my best friend, a little sister to me. Sally is like a best friend to me, someone I care deeply for. I'm not saying I love her because I don't. She and I aren't on that level just yet. However, I could love her if I wanted to, but I'm not. Why? If I lose Sally, I don't think I could handle it. It hurts building things up, just for some outside force to tear it down and destroy it," said Shadow, closing his eyes as his heart clenched painfully. This was why he loathed talking about his past, his feelings with anyone. It made him hurt, and he didn't want to hurt. He wanted to let go and move on with his life, but sometimes it was hard for him to.

"I know how you feel Shadow. That's how I felt whenever Sonic would reject me or run away from me like I was the plague or something. But, despite my pained heart, I kept trying. I tried because he was worth the risk, worth the heartache, worth the tears and everything in between. You can't run away from your fears forever. Sooner or later you're gonna have to stop and face them. Why not face them with someone who cares instead of doing everything on your own? It's ok to need help; it's ok to depend on somebody," said Amy, reaching over and giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Amy. So, what should I do?" They both stood up and walked out of the park, enjoying this beautiful Monday. Amy had a thoughtful look on her face, hand absently fiddling with her bright-pink quills; her golden bracelet glittered in the sun's light. She really looked nice, with her smiling, friendly face and jade eyes shining with pure happiness. Her body was that of a young woman, her curves, and yes, she had curves, with soft, still developing. She certainly was something else; Sonic was a lucky fool to have snagged such a priceless jewel.

"Why don't you two go out somewhere? Nothing fancy, of course. Take her to a little dinner or something and get to know her better," Amy suggested. That wasn't a bad idea. He could see himself doing something like that. Taking Sally somewhere simple for them to discuss what happened, where they stood, and where they wanted to go was a very sound idea.

"Not a bad idea, Rose," said Shadow, a rare smile on his handsome face as he stared ahead. Amy beamed, pleased that she was able to help her friend out. His happiness was important to her. He was her friend, and Amy cared a lot for her friends. At least he and Sally were making process. Hell, all her friends were making process with each other romance-wise. She wished she and Sonic could do something romantic together. It didn't even have to be romantic. They could spend time together and enjoy each other's company. Was that too unrealistic of dream to wish for?

"He's trying his best Amy. He does care for you, whether you see it or not. He's just… going at his own pace, is all," said Shadow, squeezing her shoulder in a comforting manner. He could sense her frustration, could feel her doubt, and wanted to reassure her that Sonic does like her. He already knew that if Sonic lost his fair rose, life just wouldn't be the same for him, for all of them.

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Thanks for all the love! I couldn't have gotten this far into this story without any of you guys. More to come, so stay tuned! You all know the drill; reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed; flames aren't. Until next time!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I still own these amazing characters.

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Chapter 12

"You and Shadow kissed? Huh, I didn't think he'd take it that far. He must really like you," Sonic teased, poking Sally on her sides, smiling suggestively. Sally swatted him away, face aflame with a dark blush.

"Oh, shut up, Sonic. Just because we kissed doesn't mean we're dating," Sally said. She reached for a slice of pepperoni pizza and wasted no time in devouring it, letting its rich taste over flood her taste buds. Domino's pizza was one of the best pizzas out there. Well, Sonic and Sally thought so. It was Sonic's second favorite food, ranking behind chili dogs, of course. His feet were propped, once again, on the dining room table, and one arm was crossed behind his head. He was the picture of relaxation and coolness, always at ease and rarely bothered by anything or anyone.

"Well, you two sure as hell aren't just friends anymore!" Sonic argued, stuffing his mouth with another slice of pizza, bits of crumbs and sauce on his lips. "I mean, think about it, Sal. He kissed you first; he made the first move. If that doesn't mean anything, he gave you _another_ kiss, and then _you_ initiated the third kiss. That's something you can't ignore."

"I'm not trying to ignore it. I just, I don't know, don't know what to do about it. What are we supposed to say to each other?" Sally asked. She looked hopeful, but sounded confused and full of regret. She regretted kissing Shadow without fully understanding exactly what she was getting herself into. They hadn't even formally gone on a date! They went straight to second base. Hell, they probably would've hit a homerun if time allowed it!

"I say you talk to him about it. I know Shadow. He's not the one to do things on impulse, just like you. Obviously, he kissed you because he likes you. You kissed him back because you liked him. Don't run from your feelings, Sal. Just talk things out and go on an official date, get to know each other better and see where it goes from there," Sonic suggested, giving her a reassuring smile. Sally nodded her head, smiling timidly. Sonic was right. She could do this. They, they could work things out. Maybe, just maybe, they could become more.

"Thanks, Sonic. You're always there for me, and because you're always there for me, I'm going to be here for you. How are things with you and Amy? Have you finally grown some balls and asked her out?" Sonic nearly choked on his food, his eyes boggling out of their sockets as he blushed. He coughed in embarrassment, and Sally watched him in amused silence, a smirk that reminded him so much of Shadow's dancing on her pretty face.

"Um, things are fine. We're just taking things slow," said Sonic, clearly trying to avoid the subject. He was never one for romance, having zero experience with the subject. Besides, he was as free as the wind, and he couldn't wrap his mind around being tied down, unable to do the things he loved. He felt a hand over his own and, looking up, he stared at Sally's smiling face.

"Sonic, it's ok to be afraid. Hell, everyone is afraid to fall in love simply because they could get their heart broken, or they could lose the person they loved. That's ok. However, life is all about risks, and some risks are worth taking. Amy loves you so much, Sonic. Never has she once put a hindrance on your way of life, rather, she's accepted it for what it is and let you be who you are."

"I don't think there's no one else in this world who could possibly love you to the extent that she does. You've pushed her away, ran away from her and your fears like a coward, no offense. You've treated her in an awful way sometimes, and don't say you've haven't because you know in your heart that you have. It made me sad to see your poor treatment of her. I know she can be overbearing, smothering, and too much, but she means well. Would spending time with her really be as awful as you make it out to be, or would it be one of the best things you've done in your life?" Sally asked gently.

Sonic thought her words over carefully, realizing that she was right. All Amy did was love him unconditionally, only asking him to spend time with her, and what did he do? He pushed her away and stomped on her feelings as if they were insects beneath his feet. She gave him her heart, and he broke it, repeatedly, forcing her to find each shattered piece and glue them back together, only to have it broken again and again and again. And yet, despite all of that, she still loved him, loved him with all of her heart, and never gave up on him, relentlessly pursuing him until she made him hers. Surely he could find it in his own heart to spend time with her. It really wouldn't kill him to do so, and, considering how poorly he treated her at times, he owed her that much, if not more.

"No, it wouldn't be as bad as I make it sound. Amy's has always been there for me, she's always taken good care of me, and she's always placed my needs and wants before her own, never asking for anything in return. I don't think, scratch that, I _know_ I'll never find a girl more perfect for me than her. I'm tired of running away from my feelings. I'm going to face them and hope for the best," said Sonic, those pretty emerald eyes of his filled with absolute determination, his voice filled with conviction. Sally smiled in approval, happy that Amy was finally going to get her happy ending.

"That's the Sonic we all know and love! Think of somewhere nice you'd like to take her. It doesn't have to be extravagant or fancy. As long as Amy's with you, I'm more than sure she'll be happy," Sally said.

"I know. I'm sure I'll sweep Amy off her feet one way or another.," Sonic promised, his own face lit with that trademark grin of his.

_No more running away. I can do this! I know I can_, Sonic thought to himself, feeling nervous, but hopeful. This love thing may be one of the toughest challenges he's faced yet, for there were no guidelines for matters of the heart. If there was one thing that truly sucked about love, it was that it varied from person to person. This was one battle he'd have to fight alone, and that probably frightened him the most.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my thoughts.

A/N: In case you did or didn't already know, today is 9/11. It's the twelfth anniversary of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers in New York City. Please, spread the word! 9/11 is an important time in our history, and should always be remembered. The only reason why history repeats itself is because we refuse to remember it. So, I dedicate this chapter to the 9/11 victims, deaths, and survivors. You all are in my thoughts.

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Chapter 13

_Ok, Sonic. You can do this. You're an international superhero. Surely asking the girl who's pinned for you since forever out can't be that hard_, Sonic thought, his heart racing as fast as he did. He stood outside of none other than Amy Rose's house, gloved hand raised as if he was going to knock on the door, but he hesitated, feeling timid and nervous, which was unlike him. He never asked a girl out on a date before. This was his first time, and he hadn't a clue what to do.

_Here goes nothing. It's now or never, buddy_. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, arm immediately dropping, hanging limply at his side. He didn't wait too long. He heard the sound of light footsteps, and they grew closer and closer until…

"Who is it? Oh, it's you Sonic!" Amy Rose stood at her doorway, one hand holding the door open as she stared at her favorite hero and only love, Sonic the Hedgehog. He was sporting his usual white gloves and bright-red shoes, a golden buckle and white strap across each of them. She was pleasantly surprised that he came to visit her of all people. It was so unlike him. While he didn't head for the hills whenever he caught sight of her anymore, he didn't exactly seek her out either; it frustrated her to no end and hurt her feelings than she was willing to show.

"Hiya, Ames. You look really nice," said Sonic, eyes taking in her attire. She wore a light-blue blouse and white skinny jeans with tears in them. She wore white sandal, showing off her pretty feet. How could he have not noticed how beautiful and charming she was? Maybe because she finally let up and let him breathe more, he didn't feel the need to run away from her anymore.

"Aw, thank you Sonic. What brings you to my neck of the woods this lovely morning?" Amy asked. Sonic smiled nervously, twiddling his thumbs as he rocked back and forth, suddenly feeling fidgety.

"Oh, well, I was just hoping - wondering -," Sonic corrected himself, cursing himself for sounding so desperate, "if you wanted to hang out with me today? I mean, if you're not busy or anything," he hastily added, looking as flustered as Amy had ever seen him. He was saying it, yet it came out as a question, a hopeful one. He seemed put-off and anxious, which was a rarity in itself. However, Amy could hardly contain the girly scream that nearly escaped her lips as she inwardly jumped up and down with unbridled joy, thoroughly pleased that Sonic had finally, _finally_ worked up enough courage to ask her on a date. It was a dream come true.

"Sure, Sonic! You know I wouldn't say no," she said, feeling like she had to reassure him. He should know that her undying love for him burned hotter than the sun, a persistent flame that simply refused to be put out. She'd chased him a great deal of her life, following him wherever he chose to go. Did he honestly believe he could elude her, Amy Rose, so easily? She nearly laughed at such a ludicrous thought.

Meanwhile, Sonic was feeling light-headed with relief and happiness. She didn't shoot him down! That meant that her feeling s of love towards him has not yet died out, and though he now felt foolish for worrying, he couldn't help but worry. Why would she still wait for him when he made it so easy for her to leave? He silently thanked God that Amy was such a persistent and forgiving soul.

"Yeah, I guess I did," he said, chuckling lightly. "So, I'll swing by here around seven to pick you up." Amy nodded her head, her pink quills bouncing from the movement. The urge to hug him was fierce, and even she couldn't resist enveloping him in a hug, though not as tight and bone-crushing as it had once been. Sonic, surprised, but grateful for her sudden closeness, sighed, welcomed this soft, different hug with arms wide open. Hugging her back, he rested his chin on top of her head, inhaling her sweet aroma. Arms wrapped firmly around her small waist, Sonic smiled, grateful that Amy still felt for him, still diligently waited for him, still _loved_ him. He didn't know what he'd do without her, and he hoped to the Lord he'd never have to find out.

* * *

Cream, that adorably sweet rabbit, was outside of her house, tending to her and her mother's flower garden. Cheese, her pet Chao, was with her as well, his tiny yellow wings fluttering away, easily keeping his small body aloft. A large straw hat rested upon her head, shading her from the heated sun. Picking up a silver watering pot, she watered the plants, mindful not to give too much or too little of water.

"Isn't this a beautiful morning, Cheese? The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and flowers are blooming," said Cream, reaching out a gloved hand to gently touch one of the red roses of the luscious rosebush; the petal felt smooth and soft as a feather, a lively shade of red, its leaves and stem an intense, captivating shade of green. Cheese chaoed his agreement, looking as happy as could be. Miss Vanilla came outside, a black plastic telephone in one of her hands. She smiled at her daughter. She certainly was growing up, already fourteen years old! She would soon by grown and out the house, living her dreams and enjoying her life. She knew she would be both happy and sad when that time came, but for now, she simply enjoyed the time they had together now. Cream, hearing the sound of footsteps, turned around to be greeted with the sight of her mother coming her way. Smiling, she dropped the watering bucket and ran towards her, hugging her, her face buried in the soft fabric of her checkered-print dress.

"Hi, Momma! I was just watering the flower garden!" Cream said excitedly, those chocolate-brown eyes filled with excitement and joy. Miss Vanilla looked at their flower garden, noticing how healthy they all were.

"I can see that. The flowers are look wonderful. You've done such a perfect job in tending to them. I just came outside to check on you and to tell you that Amy's on the phone for you," said Miss Vanilla. Cream's ears perked up at the mention of her best friend whom she looked up to as a sister Amy. Miss Vanilla handed her the phone, telling her not to be too long, for lunch would be ready soon. Cream promised she wouldn't be long and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hi, Amy." Cream sat down on the steps of her front porch, absently petting Cheese, her orange dress ruffling in the wind.

"Hey, Cream. So, Sonic asked me out on a date!" Cream nearly lost her hearing, the sound of her friend's piercing squeal of happiness hurting her sensitive ears.

"Mr. Sonic asked you on a date?" She didn't mean to sound so shocked, but could you blame her? It wasn't every day she heard Mr. Sonic willingly want to take Amy out on a date when he spent a majority of his time avoiding her. But, she was very happy for her best friend.

"I know, Cream. I'm just as surprised as you are, but he did. He came over my house earlier today, looking all flustered, and asked me if I wanted to hang with him. Duh, I said yes." Cream could hear the excitement flowing freely in her voice. She was always excited whenever she talked about all things relating to Sonic. She loved that blue-blur with every fiber of her being. Cream wondered if she could ever love some to such an extent.

"I'm very happy for you, Amy. I'm sure you two will have a marvelous time together," said Cream. She could hear Amy sigh dreamily over the phone, and she could picture little hearts hovering around her head, her jade eyes out shining the stars.

"Thanks so much, Cream. So, how are thing going with you and Tails?" Cream should've figured she'd go and ask _that_ question, although it wasn't a bad or personal question; Amy was just curious, and since they were best friends and shared pretty much everything, she decided would only be right to confide in her.

"We're fine. We're actually having a movie at my place this Saturday, and he'll spend the night over here, sleeping in one of the guest rooms, of course. I'm looking forward to it."

"Great to hear it! My little girl is growing up! Anyways, I'll talk to you later. I've got time to kill and a date to prepare for!" Amy's voice was its usual cheery and upbeat tone. She deserved to be every bit as happy as she wanted, for she finally got what she desired, and nothing was going to rain on her parade. They said their goodbyes and hung up, each preoccupying themselves with other matters.

* * *

Sonic was running, his feet moving faster than lightning as he sped through town, passing buildings of various sizes, shapes, and colors. The surroundings looked like a meshed up rainbow with many colors when he ran at top speed. The wind rippled through his quills, tickling his skin and washing over him like a waterfall, making him shiver from the sensation. This was why he loved to run, why he craved it more than all the chili dogs in the world. Nothing, nothing that he yet knew of, could quite compare to the thrill of running.

He soon came to his destination, coming to a screeching halt, standing in front of a medium-sized shed-like building. Silver shingles layered its rooftop, gleaming prettily from the sun's light. Bits and pieces of tools, metals, and machines littered the front yard, and a large, blue plane sat off somewhere to the side, looking sleek and well-designed, way ahead of its time; on the front of the plane's left wing were twin tails, Tails' symbol of choice. The ground seemed to creak beneath his feet as he walked leisurely to his best buddy's front door, hoping he was home.

"Knock-knock! Tails, are ya home?" Sonic called, left foot tapping impatiently on the ground as he waited for Tails to answer his door. He could faintly hear clanking and rattling sounds, signally that Tails, the little Einstein, was tinkering away on another invention of his own creation. Seriously, he needed to let up and take a break every now and then. The door swung open, causing Sonic to jump in alarm. Smoke, resembling in color of the sky when a storm was out, oozed outside, and Sonic had to close his eyes so the smoke wouldn't sting them.

"Sonic! Good to see - cough, cough – you," said Tails, coughing a bit violently, no doubt from inhaling all that hot smoke. Sonic was at his long-time friend's side in an instant, patting him soothingly as he gulped large amounts of fresh and cool air, ridding his lungs and throat of the burning sting plaguing them.

"It's good seeing you too. What the heck happened in there? Your house is letting out more smoke than a chimney does," said Sonic, concern apparent in his voice. Tails smiled; it was just like his big bro to be worried about him, which was sweet. That was Sonic for you, always concerned for others. Tails waved him off, not the slightest bit concerned.

"No need for worries. My house usually tends to overflow with smoke when I'm inventing something new or testing something because the machinery I use can sometimes overheat and smoke. It's nothing to worry about." Sonic visibly relaxed, trusting his words. After all, Tails was a genius; he knew what he was talking about.

"Ok then. So, I dropped by Amy's house earlier today." Tails quirked an eyebrow up at him, surprised but said nothing. Sonic took his silence as a signal for him to continue. "Yeah, and I sorta asked her out." If Tails wasn't reading his lips, he would've never known what he'd said, he said it so fast. Then, realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"YOU asked AMY out? It's about time," said Tails, laughing at the offended look on Sonic's face. "Don't look like that. We both know I'm right. It was bound to happen. You saw it coming. You just chose not to see it, to accept it for what it was." Sonic said nothing, for Tails was absolutely right. Somewhere in his heart, he knew this was going to happen, but he, being the immature little douche bag he could be at times, especially back then, opted to ignore it and shoved such feelings to the furthest corners of his mind, unintentionally causing Amy pain in the process. An intense wave of guilt hit him, but he ignored it, for now was his chance to make things right.

"You're right, Tails. I played the role of a coward, running away from my feelings instead of dealing with them, but that all changes now," Sonic vowed.

"Attaboy! Don't worry about it, ok? Just, follow your heart. It'll lead you in the right direction. I'm sure of it," said Tails. Sonic nodded, the weight of nervousness he felt pressing into him lifting.

_I hope you're right, Tails, because if I screw this up, I may lose more than I can bear._

* * *

And that's that! Special thanks to musicalocelot for all the lovely reviews on my other stories and her kind words. Thanks! And thank you to all my other reviewers for the love and support. This story would be nothing without you all, and I just want to say I appreciate every review, PM, favorite, and follow. They mean the world to me. Chapter 14 will be up and running soon enough, so keep an eye out for it. Reviews and constructive criticism are more than welcomed and appreciated; flames can kiss the crack of my ass. Until next time!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly.

A/N: I apologize for the delay. Things have been pretty busy. Thanks for all the love; I appreciate every like, follow, or favorite, so please keep them coming. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 14

Amy could hardly sit still, she was so excited. She was actually going to go out on a date with her beloved Sonic. Could her life get any better? Well, she could finally tie the knot with Sonic and have adorable children, but she was grateful she'd finally snagged a date with the famous blue blur. Even thinking about him made shivers run down her spine. She really and truly loved him, and now she had a chance to show him. She really, really didn't want to mess up this date, so she would try her best not to smother him or make him uncomfortable.

She glanced at her clock to see what time it was, but it was only five o' clock P.M. A part of her wanted seven o' clock to hurry up and come already, but another part of her was glad that time was going buy slowly. It gave her time to think and prepare herself. She didn't usually get nervous, but going on a date with Sonic the Hedgehog did that to a girl. After all, he was a well-known superhero who saved the world on a day-to-day basis as if it were his job or something. Of course she was nervous!

"Ugh, I need to get ahold of myself! I can do this, alright? I'm gonna be fine. I've been waiting my whole life for this day to come, and there's no way on Earth or in Hell I'm gonna punk out," Amy declared, confidence pumping through her veins. This date was going to be amazing. She'd make damn sure of it.

Her jade eyes were bright with renewed hope and determination. What was she so nervous about? She'd been waiting for this date to happen for a very long time. No way was she about to punk out! She could do this as long as she listened to her heart. It got her this far, so she was sure it wouldn't let her down now, not when she needed its advice the most.

* * *

Shadow watched in silent annoyance as he watched the blue blur pace back and forth across the wooden floors of their living room. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his head was facing downward; a thoughtful, troubled expression was on his face, and worry filled his emerald eyes. His body was slightly stiff, no doubt from being nervous about the big night.

"Look, hedgehog. Rose has put up with you this long, so obviously that means she's with you to stay. I don't understand your reason for being so nervous. What, afraid you're going to fuck it up, crush her heart, and die a lonely, bitter death?" Shadow taunted, a smirk on his face as Sonic shot him a vicious glare, or what he thought was a vicious glare.

"Can you blame me? I'm taking the girl who's loved me since day one out on a date that could very well determine where we stand in our relationship," Sonic snapped, frowning in annoyance towards Shadow's nonchalant attitude. Could he not see what was at stake here? Granted, if Sonic had been a bit nicer and more willing to spend his time with her, he would've been had this date thing out of the way. Oh well.

"No one told you to wait so long to take her out on a date." Sonic shrugged his shoulders, smiling sheepishly.

"Well, better late than never is what I always say."

"Never late is better, hedgehog. Stop being so nervous. I'm telling you, Amy loves you, purely and truly, so stop worrying so damn much. She had long ago figured out her feelings for you, now it's your turn to figure out how you feel," said Shadow, trying to calm and reassure his friend. Sonic took deep breaths, evening his breathing. Shadow was right. This date thing was nothing to stress over. He would take Amy out, and they would have a good time. He'd make sure of it.

"Thanks, Shadow. I appreciate the talk." Sonic glanced at the clock to see what time it was. It was almost seven. "I guess I better get going; I don't want to keep Amy waiting."

"Not unless you want her to beat you with her Piko Piko Hammer," said Shadow, smirking. Sonic suddenly looked nervous. Yes, he definitely did _NOT_ want to be around Amy when she was angry, especially if he was the cause of said anger.

_It's now or never,_ Sonic thought as opened the front door and sped off. His heart was beating wildly, and butterflies fluttered like mad inside his stomach, but he wasn't afraid. With luck on his side, he never had a reason to be.

* * *

Sonic found himself standing on the doorsteps of none other than Amy Rose's house. The sky was beginning to darken, a sign that nighttime was on its way. A few stars, shining a bit dully, were hanging in the evening sky. The air was a bit cooler, but not freezing. Sonic raised his hand and knocked on the door three good times, waiting for Amy to answer it. The door soon swung itself upon, and Sonic's jaw literally dropped at the image that presented itself before him.

Amy stood before him, wearing a yellow blouse, dark blue skinny jeans, and cute flats that were a sparkly black. Her quills were up in a stylish bun, and a few strands were in her face. She wore no makeup, but her lips were shiny, signally that she wore lip-gloss, and she had a grey and white Old Navy jacket; she wore her usual white gloves and golden bracelets. Amy's confidence soared when she saw the look on Sonic's face. He obviously liked what he saw.

"Hi, Sonic. Are you ready to go?" Amy asked, giggling as Sonic snapped himself out of the trance she put him in. He smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with one gloved hand.

"I'm always ready, Amy," Sonic answered, his own confidence soaring. Here he was with a lovely girl who loved him dearly. Could he ask for anything better? Amy closed her door and made sure it was locked. Then Sonic, carrying her in his arms, sped off towards the destination of their date. He loved the way Amy snuggled into his chest and how her arms were wrapped around his neck. Her closeness brought a feeling of ease to him, making him feel calm and happy.

Meanwhile, Amy felt just as happy as he did, glad that she and him were out on a date. Did that mean he returned her feelings? She wasn't entirely sure. What she did know was that he was here spending time with her, and that was all she ever wanted.

* * *

"And we're here," said Sonic as he came to a stop. He helped Amy to her feet, and he led her to a medium-sized building. Amy's eyes widened. This was one of the best restaurants in Station Square. The food here was out of this world, and the prices were very affordable. Sonic watched her, relieved that Amy seemed to like the joint. Knuckles and Rouge helped him find a place to have their date, and judging from Amy's pleased expression, she seemed to like it. He made a mental to send those crazy kids a gift basket full of goodies as a thank you.

Holding the door open for her like the gentleman he was, they both walked inside. Amy felt her breath catch in her throat as she took in the scenery of the restaurant. A large fountain, made of pure marble, was in the center of the restaurant, and a large, golden chandelier hung from the ceiling. The walls, a dark-brown color, were decorated with intricate and pretty designs of flowers of all types and colors. She saw a fish tank filled with exotic, brightly colored fish to her left. Various pictures of different places, people, and the food they served here were hanging perfectly from most of the walls.

"Sonic, this place is amazing," said Amy, looking truly impressed as her eyes darted everywhere across the restaurant, trying to take in everything it had to offer her. Sonic chuckled, leading her to a wooden podium where a pretty girl raccoon stood. She wore a white dress shirt, a little red bowtie, black dress pants, and black flats. She wore her brown hair in a ponytail that stopped right below her neck. Her eyes were a light brown, and she seemed very hospitable.

"I'm glad you like it, Amy. Hello, I have a reservation under Sonic the Hedgehog, dinner for two," Sonic told the raccoon. The girl opened a large binder and quickly scanned the list of names.

"Ok, then! I'll lead you two to your table. Right this way," she said, and Amy and Sonic followed closely behind her. She led them to a round table with two wooden chairs that face each other on opposite sides of the table. Again, Sonic behaved like a true gentleman, pulling out chair from Amy. Amy blushed and the girl waitress swooned, smiling at the sweet display. As soon as Sonic took his seat, the girl handed them their menus.

"Hi! My name is Nicole, and I'll be your waitress for the night. What can I get you?" she asked, her voice polite and cheerful. She reminded Amy of an older version of Cream, and she inwardly smiled at the thought.

"I would like a Coca Cola," said Sonic.

"And I would like some sweet tea," said Amy. Nicole wrote their orders on a little notepad, tucking the pencil behind her ears.

"Alright! I'll have your drinks back to you in a few minutes along with our finest rolls," said Nicole, and she walked off, heading to the kitchen.

"So, are you enjoying yourself, or am I boring you?" Sonic asked, smiling. Whenever he was in Amy's presence, he felt like he was floating on Cloud Nine. Amy smiled, her jade eyes twinkling.

"Please! You could never bore me, Sonic. You're so interesting. If anything, I'm the one boring you," said Amy. Sonic shook his head, reaching over the table to grab her hand, feeling an electric bolt shock him, and he knew Amy felt it too, for her eyes widened. He intertwined their fingers together, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Amy, you're not boring. You're one of the funniest people I know. You could never, ever bore me." His words, while they sounded simple to others, were deep to Amy. Sonic had never told her anything like that before, and it touched her heart that he thought a girl as simple and plain as her was lively and exciting. She said nothing, but the huge, genuine smile on her face said it all.

Nicole soon came back to their table, effortlessly carrying their drinks and a basket filled with rolls. With the grace of an expert, she placed their drinks on the coasters in front of them and placed the basket of rolls off to the side.

"Here are your drinks and rolls. I hope you enjoy them! Now, are you ready to order or do you need more time?" Nicole asked, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. Sonic looked at Amy, who nodded her head. Turning his attention back to Nicole, he spoke.

"Yes, we are. I would like bacon and cheese hamburger with everything on it, and for my side items, I would like French fries," said Sonic, folding his menu. Nicole jotted it down, taking his menu, which he handed to her, from him.

"And what would you like, miss?" she asked, turning her attention to Amy. The pink hedgehog looked over her menu, trying to decide what she wanted. Finally, she made her choice.

"I would like some lasagna, and for my side item, I'll have some mozzarella sticks," said Amy. Nicole quickly jotted her order down and took her menu from her, tucking it, along with Sonic's menu, under her arm.

"Ok! Your orders will be ready in a little bit!" And she walked off, leaving Sonic and Amy to themselves. Amy took a sip of her tea, mentally sighing as the cool liquid quenched her parched throat. Sonic followed suit, taking a sip of his own drink.

"I like her. She's really friendly," Amy commented after a minute, twirling her straw between her fingertips. Sonic nodded in agreement, his arm resting on the clean, smooth tabletop.

"She is. It's hard to find servers as nice as her. That's one of the reasons why I chose this place. The customer service here is top of the line, and the food here is amazingly good."

"I have to agree with you on that one. Rouge went here a while back, and she told me all about it. If it meets Rouge's standard, it's gotta be good." They both laughed at that, thinking of the beautiful, ivory bat. She could be high maintenance at times, but she was a loyal friend and a good person.

"I know, right? How was your day? Did you do anything interesting?" Sonic asked, trying to keep the conversation alive, least he ruin the mood and make them both feel tense and awkward.

"It was really good! The girls came over my house for a bit, and we watched a few movies and hung out. I couldn't help but think about how much older we've all gotten. With Eggman out of the way, there's not much to do. I can't really picture us not saving the world. It's kind of weird," Amy admitted. She reached for a roll and took a bite out of it; it tasted light, warm, and buttery, one of the best rolls she's eaten yet.

"I know. We've all matured over the years and have grown as caring, good citizens of society. I'm not gonna lie; all I've ever really done was be a hero and save the world, so it's really hard for me to see myself doing something else. However, playing hero isn't the only thing I want to do. I want to do other things and enjoy my life, and it's nice waking up knowing robots aren't kidnapping you or terrorizing the town," said Sonic. He meant what he said. He loved protecting people and saving the world. It's what he did. However, he didn't only want it to be the only thing he did. He was nineteen years old. He was still young and had a full life ahead of him, and he wanted to partake in it while it was still his.

"I understand. It's great being able to have time to do things together, to actually have time to relax and have fun. I was thinking about going to college. Actually, Blaze, Cream, Sally, and Rouge were thinking about it too. That's what we were discussing earlier. Since the world is safe, we thought about going to college. It would help us get a job and keep money in our pockets," she said. Sonic was surprised, but proud of her. She had obviously thought about her future and wanted to do something with it.

"Really? I'm proud of ya, Ames. That's really not a bad idea. It would probably do us all some good to get some form of education. Tails and Cream could have private tutor, and the rest of us could go to college. I wouldn't mind doing it; it sounds like an adventure," he admitted, clearly thinking it over. Amy smiled, relieved that she and Sonic had something to talk about. The last thing she wanted to do was bore him.

Nicole was walking towards their table, their food in each of her hands. She placed their food in front of them, smiling all the while.

"Here's your food! I sincerely hope you enjoy it," said Nicole. Sonic smiled, emerald eyes staring into Amy's jade ones.

"I'm sure we will. Thank you very kindly for your wonderful service," said Sonic, his eyes never straying from Amy's. Nicole noticed this and smiled, shaking her head softly.

"You're very welcome," she said, and she walked off. Sonic and Amy stared at each other for a while longer before the delicious aroma off food made them tear their eyes from each other.

"Let's eat," said Sonic, and they did just that, occasionally throwing in a few jokes here and there.

* * *

Sonic walked, yes, he walked, Amy back to her house. It was nighttime now, and the stars were really shining now. The air was a bit colder, but nothing unbearable. They soon made it back to Amy's house, and they stood in front of her door, looking at each other. The way the moonlight shone on Amy made her like unreal, like a beautiful angel.

"I had a wonderful time, Sonic. Thanks for taking me out. It means a lot to me," said Amy, finding herself getting lost in those beautiful emerald eyes of his.

"No problem, Amy. You know I'd do anything for you, and I had a good time too. Actually, I wouldn't mind, uh, doing this again. That is if you want to, of course," Sonic hastily added, his nerves coming back. Amy giggled; Sonic was cute when he was all nervous.

"I would love to, Sonic. Well, goodnight," she said, giving her hero a hug, breathing in his unique scent. Sonic hugged her back tightly, getting lost in the feeling of having her close to him. He really enjoyed himself and this date thing more than he thought he would. He thought taking Amy out on a date would be weird and awkward, but it was the opposite. He had a great time with her, and he really wouldn't mind doing it again sometime.

Amy pulled back, staring at Sonic for a moment longer, smiling, before turning around and headed into her house. Only after she was safely inside with the door shut did Sonic allow himself to run him, feeling good. Tonight was perfect, and maybe, just maybe, he was actually falling for the pink hedgehog who loyally followed him all these years, who loved him with a love pure and unconditionally.

* * *

And that's all for Chapter 14! Hopefully, you enjoyed as it much I enjoyed writing it. Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated; flames will be ignored. Until next time.


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